Issue 8 - Oberoi International School

Index
Academic Honesty
03
5+2 And More
05
From Library
06
Reflecting on Student-Led Conferences
10
Communities
12
Learning Through Play
13
Fraction Fair
16
Animal Action
17
Coding And Art
19
MS Culminating Project Art With Mental Illness
20
Relay For Life, A CAS Initiative
21
Wear It. Beat It.
23
Interaction of Grade 12 with Grade 11
25
White Water Kayaking
26
Reading in Visual Art Classrooms
27
Causathon 2016 - Autism Awareness
32
Athletics Department
33
Students Achievements
35
Important Announcements
36
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
ACADEMIC HONESTY
At OIS, as with most schools, academic honesty is something we
continuously strive to teach our students. We believe that students
who get through school by cheating will learn less, have lower selfesteem, have a higher incidence of being expelled from college or
university, and eventually, will cheat in their chosen profession as
adults.
As such, we have developed policies, held workshops, given
lessons, shown examples and continuously used programs such
as http://turnitin.com/ to monitor student work and encourage
our students to avoid cheating. Through ongoing reinforcement in
classes and assemblies, during homeroom time, and through oneto-one teacher-student discussions, we can confidently say that
Mr. Matthew Sipple
our students, especially in the secondary, know what cheating and
Deputy Head of Development plagiarism are, and realize that they should not be cheating in any
of their academic work, not to mention in life in general.
This being said, students at OIS, as in most schools, still cheat. On occasion they are caught, but
usually they are not. This is not uncommon in schools, especially in grades 9 - 12. In fact, according
to http://www.plagiarism.org,
“The Josephson Institute Center for Youth Ethics surveyed 43,000 high school students in public and
private schools and found that:
•
59% of high school students admitted cheating on a test during the last year. 34% selfreported doing it more than two times.
•
One out of three high school students admitted that they used the Internet to plagiarize an
assignment
In a survey of 24,000 students at 70 high schools, Donald McCabe (Rutgers University) found that 64
percent of students admitted to cheating on a test, 58 percent admitted to plagiarism and 95 percent
said they participated in some form of cheating, whether it was on a test, plagiarism or copying
homework.”
While the above studies were conducted in the United States, I am relatively certain that if a similar
study were conducted in Mumbai the results would be roughly the same, as a recent BBC article
would suggest: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33307552.
As the first step to solving a problem is to admit its existence, I encourage parents and students to
discuss cheating as a family to understand where the motivation to cheat comes from and how and
why to avoid it.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
3
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Many sources, such as ETS, state that the main cause of cheating is the pressure students feel to get
high grades, and the more pressure a student feels, the more likely they are to cheat. If this is indeed
the case then one would assume that reducing this pressure will result in students cheating less.
At OIS, we encourage everyone to focus on the learning process instead of the resulting grades. If
students invest the proper time and energy into the learning process, the grades will take care of
themselves, and the desire to cheat will decrease.
For more information on this topic, please see:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1976003?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
and
http://theconversation.com/why-do-students-cheat-listen-to-this-deans-words-40295
Please speak with a member of our leadership team if you have any questions about OIS’s policies
and procedures regarding academic honesty. As we near the end of the year assessments and the
IGCSE and IB exams next month, we want to remind all students to make wise choices and most
definitely avoid cheating.
4
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
5+2 AND MORE
The Primary SSP team conducted a workshop
‘5+2 and more’ which aroused a significant
amount of curiosity amongst teachers. This
knowledge-sharing workshop
focused on
revisiting the 5 commonly known senses as
well as unfolding the mystery around 2 senses
(vestibular and Proprioceptive), not known
to many. It was conducted over two sessions;
the first session focused on the identification
of sensory processing issues amongst
students while the second offered classroom
management strategies to handle the same. The
attendance of 47 teachers right from Nursery
to Grade 5 made the learning very diverse, and
valuable connections helped in making the
session more effective.
The SSP team used a variety of situations seen typically in classrooms to demonstrate the way in
which information from the environment and one’s own senses is not organized for a child with
sensory issues. They engaged the audience through mediums that ranged from a Power Point
presentation, videos, role plays and case study discussions. The set-up was uniquely designed to
ensure that teachers were given an opportunity to indulge in experiential learning, where they
were exposed to different sensorial aids that enhanced their learning about the session. They got a
chance to share the challenges they face in the classroom and solutions were discussed as a group.
The simulations set up by the team were aimed primarily at children with sensory modulation
difficulties.
It was a great opportunity to
share, learn together and grow
professionally. The SSP team looks
forward to presenting many such
workshops that can make the entire
teaching-learning process more
effective.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
5
FROM LIBRARY
Through a Glass, Darkly: the Challenge
of Data Provenance
In Malcolm Gladwell’s 2005 best-seller, Blink, the author examines
the workings of intuitive knowledge based on experience. He uses the
example of the response of experts to a sixth-century BCE Greek kouros
statue of a young man that the J. Paul Getty Museum in California was
considering adding to their prestigious collection in 1983. Although
all the bona fides for the statue were in order, and the museum had
performed scientific tests to verify the authenticity of the work, the
initial reaction of a number of experts in the field of Greek antiquities
was dubious. Something just wasn’t right, and one examiner described
Ms. Sarah Colwell
his first response to the statue as “intuitive repulsion (Gladwell, Blink,
Head Librarian
pp.3-8). Closer examination of the documentation of past ownership
produced some telling discrepancies and one expert theorized that
the “ancient” patina that had stood up to a number of high-tech
imaging examinations could have been a master forger’s use of potato mold. The Getty museum had
already paid the nearly ten million dollars for a work that, in its catalogue, it describes “from 530 BC,
or a modern forgery” (Gladwell, p. 8).
Any expert in almost any field at some point feels skepticism about the accuracy of what seems like
a “fact.” Gladwell’s book discusses this cognitive phenomenon at length. Expertise, however, has
become harder to develop in some realms of discourse. The Internet data explosion has, in many
cases, made quality information harder to locate or verify. Museum curators have long used the word
provenance to describe the source and subsequent history of a manuscript or work of art. Provenance
comes from the French provenir, “to come forth,” and, before that, from the Latin provenire, “to come
forth, originate, appear, arise (“Online Etymology Dictionary”). While such experts continue to use
this term of art to verify the authenticity of an artifact, the term is now associated with all that
data that we have at our fingertips. As of this year, there are over 1 billion websites online, and this
rapid proliferation has, for the most part, been the result of populist and commercial momentum
(“Internet Live Stats”). The “original” Internet was a network that allowed scholars and researchers
to share information. Now, the vast network of servers has become the playground of every sort of
enthusiast, the vehicle for any opinion, a venue for feline perversity caught on video, a theatre for
atrocity and exploitation, the global stage for every variety of human behavior, noble or otherwise…
and the largest marketplace in the history of the world (Taylor). It’s no wonder that students who
use only Google for their school-assigned research often wind up confused. It can be very hard to
trace Internet data back to its original source or to discover how and why information came to be on
the Internet in the first place.
6
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
FROM LIBRARY
At OIS, our job as librarians is to help students develop a critical eye when it comes to all
information they encounter. Exposure to the problem of data provenance in the current information
environment is essential if students are to recognize that quality research and mere data retrieval
are not necessarily the same thing. Our acquisition this year of several high-quality online research
systems that provide data records with clear provenance is another important initial step. If facts or
analysis come from a newspaper, trade publication, academic journal, encyclopaedia or government
document, we can assume that someone—an author or an editor, a corporation or a government
entity, for instance—is taking responsibility for the information it distributes. The information may
be controversial, biased, deceptive or just plain wrong, but the human and organizational agency
behind the data is apparent. Many websites, however, have no author, no editorial policy and no way
of finding out who put the information online and why. Accordingly, whatever position an online
researcher chooses to take, he or she can invariably find data that will support that point of view.
But many such sites are opaque. There is no way to find out what is happening behind what appears
on the screen. The foremost populist data provider, Wikipedia, does offer translucency by providing
revision histories for every article, but, even so, a researcher can leave the computer and return half
an hour later to find different data on the same Wikipedia topic. Full data transparency is the result
of author or editorial responsibility.
A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania describes the data provenance problem
accordingly:
When you find some data on the Web, do you have any information about how it got there? It is
quite possible that it was copied from somewhere else on the Web, which, in turn may have also
been copied; and in this process it may well have been transformed and edited. Of course, when we
are looking for a best buy, a news story, or a movie rating, we know that what we are getting may be
inaccurate, and we have learned not to put too much faith in what we extract from the Web. However,
if you are a scientist, or any kind of scholar, you would like to have confidence in the accuracy
and timeliness of the data that you are working with. In particular, you would like to know how it
got there. In its brief existence, the Web has
completely changed the way in which data
is circulated. We have moved very rapidly
from a world of paper documents to a world
of on-line documents and databases. In
particular, this is having a profound effect
on how scientific research is conducted
(Buneman).
Eventually, most frequent Google users
learn to recognize websites that may not be
intuitively repulsive, but that do fall short
of any standard of authority or even safety.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
7
FROM LIBRARY
Poor spelling and grammar, sketchy ads for sketchier merchandise, software or services that do not
correspond to search parameters or pushy requests for personal information are all cues that the
website in question is not what it purports to be. Search engine companies have tried to enforce
search engine optimization standards that are not deliberately misleading, but policing a billion+
websites is beyond the potential of even the savviest algorithms. We have to pay attention to issues
of data provenance and use our common sense. A bad website can be biased, nonsensical, venal or
even predatory, and such sites, across a very broad spectrum, have little to no utility to academic
researchers. Sooner or later, if we pay attention during the countless hours we spend shopping
for things we don’t need or exploring the depths of human foolishness and poor taste, we begin
to recognize intuitively those sites that may be fun to view but fall far short of academic research
standards.
Works Cited
Buneman, Peter, Khanna, Sanjeev and Wang-Chiew Tan. “Data Provenance: Some Basic Issues.”
Db.cis.upenn.edu. N. p., 2016. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. London: Back Bay Books, 2007.
Print. Pages 3-8.
Gladwell, Page 8.
“Internet Live Stats - Internet Usage & Social Media Statistics”.Internetlivestats.com. N. p., 2016.
Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
“Online Etymology Dictionary”.Etymonline.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Taylor, Jamie. “14 Challenges Agencies & Media Companies Face - Vendasta Technologies”. Vendasta
Technologies. N. p., 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
8
April 2016
FROM
THE
EARLY YEARS
REFLECTING ON STUDENT-LED
CONFERENCES
I appreciate the honest feedback that was given by parents following
the Student Led Conferences. Many parents noted the effort that
was put into organizing and preparing for the event. Many were
impressed with their child’s ability to share their learning.
Ms. Catherine Arnquist
Head of Early Years
The event is about precisely that- learning! A big part of the PYP
program is developing the ability to reflect on learning so that there
is a context for future growth. When students reflect, they are able to
deepen their understanding. When they are involved in sharing their
learning in a meaningful way, the foundation is strengthened. This
is very important to us at OIS, and it is why Student Led Conferences
are so important!
If we look back at the OIS Mission Statement:
“We are dedicated to fulfilling every child’s educational and
developmental needs in a safe and caring environment conducive
to learning and teaching. We aim to create responsible, global citizens who show understanding,
compassion and acceptance of the differences in the world. We strive to ensure that every child in
our care is empowered to make choices and encouraged to contribute to our community,”
At the Student Led Conferences students are given choices during the preparation (about what
activities they would like to share) and during the actual event as well. They learn about responsibility,
by being given the responsibility to
share their learning in an honest
and meaningful way.
We know that having the students
lead this process is new to many
parents. We urge you to be open
to this. Many of the parents
gave feedback that they learned
more from their child than they
would have from the teacher. It is
important to note that at an event
like Student Led Conferences,
we are building on the student’s
confidence to be in charge of their
own learning, to know themselves
as learners and to be in charge of
communicating this!
10
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
REFLECTING ON STUDENT-LED
CONFERENCES
When parents meet separately with teachers
to discuss a student’s progress, the student’s
preparation for the Student Led Conference event
is devalued. For this reason we do not schedule
parent teacher meetings on the same day as
Student Led Conferences. The students put a lot
of effort into preparing for this important day. The
teachers support them in this process and help
them to be confident and ready. With our focus
on the IB learner Profile and the PYP attitudes,
events such as this are essential in helping kids
to understand that there is a reason for what
they do every day. As parents, you are the most
important people in your child’s life. Imagine how
powerful it is for them to share their learning for you on this special day of celebration! It is such an
empowering event for our students!
Our Early Years and Primary teachers are available to meet with you whenever you schedule an
appointment. We are happy to have the family involved in helping support student learning and
growth. It is important to clarify that that Parent/ Teacher meetings are not appropriate on the
same day as the Student Led Conferences.
At OIS we believe that learning should be student centered. For this reason the Student Led
Conferences are essential in keeping the ownership of the learning with the students. In our
efforts to support them in growing into
confident, reflective, principled and balanced
lifelong learners, they need to know that we all
believe in their ability to engage meaningfully in
their own learning! Parents support this by
enthusiastically attending their child’s student
led conference, asking open ended questions to
deepen thinking, and following up on learning
through discussions and experiences at home!
We appreciate all that you do to help your
children be well rounded global citizens!
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
11
COMMUNITIES
In the Early Years, teaching is often about putting together great
learning experiences and watching students explore, laugh and have
fun. In the midst of it all, students learn in a meaningful and engaging
manner and make relevant connections to the world around them.
They develop life skills that form the foundation for future learning.
The unit on ‘Communities’ set the platform for students in SKG to
inquire about their immediate environment at home and school. In an
open classroom, there are many teachers! Specialists, guest speakers,
peers, videos and games like ‘This town is too crowded’ provided
students various opportunities to make connections to the central
idea ‘Communities provides services that help meet people’s needs
and wants’. We gained perspective about how people have similar
needs and different wants and encouraged students to be openMs. Nalini Srinivasan
minded. Students engaged in discussions with their peers about why
SKG HRT
food and clothing are needs while jewellery and toys could be wants.
Through these discussions, they made connections to their previous
units and identified oxygen and love as needs. It showed us that learning can never end with a unit!
Parents played an important role in our learning journey too. They shared information about their
jobs, roles and responsibilities, helping students to understand that it takes a variety of people and
services to build a community. The students enjoyed having their parents in class and took pride
in the work they do. They showcased great audience behaviour by being good listeners and asking
relevant thick questions. Working together to create an artwork helped build an understanding of
how people in a community work together for a common purpose. It created a sense of ownership
which we then extended to our class diorama.
Students chose to call their town ‘Funky Flamingo Town’ and
used a variety of words to describe it. This helped build and
expand their vocabulary as some of the students began using the
Thesaurus to find words with similar meanings. They worked in
small groups and individually to add various services to ‘Funky
Town’. Money was identified as a need and soon a bank found
its place in our town. Through the course of the unit, students
continued to add a bakery, jewellery store, school, mall, garage,
car showroom, police station, fire station, dentist, pet store, fish
market, glass factory and a construction site. They used recycled
materials wisely to create a 3D town that would meet all their
needs and wants. We extended our learning in different ways.
Students worked in groups to create songs using rhyming words.
Mr. Vishrut Sinha guided them to compose the music and sing it
too. Working as a community can be lots of fun!
12
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate
between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the
vital connection between them.” -Leo F. Buscaglia
How do we introduce the concept of money to children in the age
group of 5-6 years? We decided to begin as we always do- “what do
we know?” When we posed the question ‘Why do we need money?’
during our circle time, we received a variety of responses ranging
from the obvious--‘We need money to buy toys”--to the more
reflective “We need money to help people”.
Ms. Anisha Sahai
SKG HRT
While this addressed the concept of function (how does it help/
work), we wanted to inquire into the concept of form too! How does
money look? Does it look the same everywhere? Students made
connections to their own visits to other countries and spoke about
dollars, euros, dirhams and so on.
To help them develop a sound understanding of money and its uses, we decided to set up a shop.
The first step was to give every student some pretend money. The teachers set up a shop keeping in
mind the creative abilities of the students. Soon, they were lining up to buy materials for origami,
cards, and jewellery. They stood in line, waited their turn, made eye contact with the storekeeper
and used the golden words while making their purchases, thus exhibiting essential social skills.
They used addition and subtraction to understand how much they have spent and how much more
they can buy. Some students worked within the budget while others spent all their money. So what
did we do next? Soon, we had some students asking for a bank to be set up where they could borrow
money, while other students helped their friends to earn some money.
Morning center time meant giving wings to their creativity! Students
were engaged in creating beautiful cards. They were risk-takers and
applied their understanding of shapes, fractions and symmetry to
create amazing origami houses, boats, airplanes, chip-chops, whales,
tulips and so much more. They used their knowledge of repeating
patterns to create beautiful necklaces and bracelets, using beads. They
were enthusiastic about expressing their creativity through a variety
of cards. What do we do with all these wonderful creations?
Well, students decided to set up their own shop ‘The Flamingo Big
Basket’ to sell their creations. The name was decided through a voting
process and this ensured that there was a sense of ownership for
everyone. The next question on everyone’s mind was ‘Who will visit
the shop?’ The first option was parents; but we decided to invite peers
from other SKG classes. Obviously, the next step was to create invites
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
Ms. Nalini Srinivasan
SKG HRT
13
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
and posters. Students used detailed illustrations, invented spellings and meaningful sentences to
communicate! It helped them make real-life connection to the use of words and pictures to express
an idea. We had an interesting discussion about how to decide the price of their creations. Students
calculated how much they paid for their raw materials and priced their items a bit higher, thus
bringing in numeracy!
The day arrived finally!! Students arranged their creations attractively in trays and sat at their stalls
with a smile on their faces. As teachers, it was a pleasure to watch them interact with their peers,
explain why their ‘boat’ or ‘bracelet’ was special and bargain about the prices. Once the shop closed
down and all the items were sold, they counted their money and demonstrated their commitment
skills by first returning the loan they had taken from the bank. Whatever money was left was their
earning. Thus helping them arrive at an understanding about profit! The students were engaged in
their ‘play’, without the realization about all the life-skills they were learning and strengthening!
Could there be a better way to learn?
Skills:
- Self management
- Communication
- Commitment
Concept:
- Form
- Function
- Connection
Attitudes:
-
Creativity
Enthusiasm
Confidence
Learner Profile:
Thinker
Risk taker
14
April 2016
FROM
THE
PRIMARY
FRACTION FAIR
Ms. Amreen Tejani
Grade 1 HRT
16
“We are all a part of a whole”
Grade 1 celebrated their learning on fractions by organising a Fraction
Fair on 7th April, 2016. It was exciting and welcoming for the kids
to pass through the corridor of danglers. The fraction hopscotch
game at the entrance of the corridor created curiosity to enter their
classrooms to explore a whole new world of fractions. Each child got
food from home which was already cut into fractions with the help
of their enthusiastic parents. All the grade one teachers were ready
with lot of exciting games in their homerooms to give their learning a
hands-on approach. The students shared their food items with their
friends and also explained the fraction that it represents. Fraction fair
has helped our inquisitive learners in applying their knowledge and
making real life connections.
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
ANIMAL ACTION
The animal action group is a group that meets every second Wednesday
and comes up with ways to help animals.
If you were at the recent OIS fest, we had a stall supporting our school dogs.
We wanted to raise money and awareness. We had a dog trainer, Ms. Tanya
Patel who brought in Simba, a golden retriever,to tell us how to interact
with dogs. We also went to the field to spend time with our school dogs.
A parent, Dr. Jyotsna Changrani came in to tell us about her business CCD
(Chimba Cats and Dogs) and the feeding programme she and her husband
had developed. We also visited an animal shelter and spent time petting the
dogs and cats and learning about their services.
Adopta - d o g
program
Arjun Surve
We,
the
Grade 5
animal
a c t i o n
group, are introducing a new program in
school called ‘Adopt a dog’.
The programme is not what it seems. It is
when a class such as 5D wants to take care
of a dog it is not that you take the dog to your
class/home. The class will donate rs3000
which is enough to feed half the number of
school dogs for a month. The money will be
collected by the HRT and then handed over
to Ms. Gail or Mr. Steve Augeri.
Each contributing class will get a certificate
as a mark of appreciation.
We need your help to make this a success
and to ensure that our school dogs are well
fed and healthy. We hope that you will allow
your child to donate to this worthy cause.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
17
FROM
THE
SECONDARY
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
CODING AND ART
I visited Ms. Neha Pandit’s Grade 11 IBDP Visual Art class in the
month of April to do a presentation on games and animations. I
used an app called Scratch, a programming language created by
MIT to develop young programmers’ logic use.
Tarasha Gupta
Grade 7
Scratch is simple to use, as it consists of blocks, each standing for
a line of code. When you put these blocks together, they create a
program. Using this software will help everyone know the true
power of technology. Even though we humans created everything
around us, we still do not fully understand what all our inventions
can do. Programs like Scratch encourage young minds to understand
this, while shaping our future at the same time.
During the presentation, I presented animations like cards and
videos, and games like Pong-Starter (like Brick-Breaker, but without
the bricks) and drag-and-drop based games (the one I presented
was a baking game).
I enjoyed presenting my work, and it definitely boosted my enthusiasm for coding, and I am
grateful to have been given this opportunity.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
19
MS CULMINATING PROJECT- ART
WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES
I chose 4 disorders: Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder and
Schizophrenia, and made canvases on all of them individually.
The hand in the girl’s
head is supposed to
show constriction of
thought. The circle
in the guy’s head is
supposed to represent
the brain, and the
colours show that half
the brain is dark and
half is light, but there
are still specks of dark
Aashana Daru
in the light. The matchsticks are supposed to show chances; I have
Grade 8
fresh matchsticks on the light side to show fresh chances at getting
better, while the further you get into the dark side, the more burnt
the matchsticks get, to show burnt or lost chances at getting better.
My one complication was what I was going to do after the exhibition with the paintings. After the
exhibition, a bunch of people came up to me and were talking about buying paintings. They were
kidding though, but I thought about it, and I realised it would be perfectly okay to sell my paintings
because I had no use with them. But I didn’t want to sell all of them, and my dad wanted one. At
the end of it, I gave one to my dad, one to my friend, because the one I gave her had apparently
inspired one of her own artworks. I’m selling the other 3 for different prices. Then came the
next question, what do I do with the money I get? I was originally going to give it to an NGO or
an organisation of some sort, but I decided I’d give the money to my parents for buying all my
art resources. I know that in no way will I ever be able
to pay them for everything they’ve done, but it’s a start.
Overall, it was a pretty good project and I’m proud of my
products and the fact that I’m actually selling them.
These are some of my other paintings of the series.
20
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
RELAY FOR LIFE, A CAS
INITIATIVE
Relay for Life 2016 took place in the Oberoi International School
campus on the 1st April; the third RFL to take place in the 8-year old
institution. This year, we have raised about 16 Lakhs (Rs. 1.6 million),
making us India’s largest fund raiser for Relay For Life. The sweet
taste of victory makes up for the journey that sometimes proved to
be not such an easy feat.
Mishika Toor
Grade 11
Vipul and I took up this project about 6 months back, with our
motivation being ultimate destruction of cancer, the deadly disease
plaguing our society and affecting our people. But soon we realised
we were just two students, a small speck in a much larger battle. The
two of us, along with some cash in our pockets wasn’t going to cut the
deal. Hence, we gained the support of an effective and highly helpful
team, and our two supervisors who aided us every step of the way.
As the months passed, the work continued, administrative issues,
logistics of the event, the small and the big details. As the date got
closer, the excitement rose. Not only for the RFL team, but also for the entire OIS community, students
and teachers both showed utmost enthusiasm, passion and dedication towards this event. Through
our journey, we decided that this year we wanted to do something different for the Indian Cancer
Society. We wanted to spread our message further and create more awareness. One of our members
got through to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where we sent details about our event to the President.
The President of India himself, sent the RFL team a personal email, recognising our events and
complementing our efforts.
The event itself also proved to be a huge success. All the bumps in the road seemed to naturally
smooth themselves out on the day. It started with a teary opening ceremony but also remembered
why we think life is worth living and celebrating. Throughout the night, people walked around the
dimly lighted track of the MPH to show their love and support for the event. The design team of
Relay For Life outdid itself creating the utmost perfect ambiance. The Luminaria ceremony was
extremely moving and gave a chance for many people to open up about people they have lost.
The 7th floor though was booming and buzzing with the various activities throughout the night.
Movies, football, painting, video games along with Dominoes serving throughout the night. As the
event was coming to its end, time started taking its toll on the participants, the music was turned up
– the night ended with an half an hour session of everyone taking laps swaying to bollywood tunes,
because everyone needed positivity and a happy ending to the amazing night.
With the help of the OIS community and of course our teams and supervisors we were able to
surpass our goal by Rupees 4 Lakhs. This has thus enabled us to ensure our efforts go a little further
to conduct a cancer screening camp for OIS support staff. We would like to acknowledge all our
sponsorers for their generous support in monetary and non-monetary terms.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
21
RELAY FOR LIFE, A CAS
INITIATIVE
There were many learning moments for Vipul and me throughout this journey, but the most
important lesson hands down was that any efforts, no matter how big or small, can make an impact
and this depends solely on the passion and dedication you put behind it. One thing we know for sure
is that the students who take this up next year will be more motivated than us, and Relay for Life
2017 will be another event not to be missed.
22
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
WEAR IT! BEAT IT!
“Wear it. Beat it.” is an initiative inspired by the British Heart
Foundation that works to raise awareness for Congenital Heart
Defects and also raises funds for the open-heart surgeries of
underprivileged children. As two IBDP students Devanshi Agarwal
and Smiti Modi, we started this project to fulfil our CAS requirement
and in hopes to help as many children who suffer from this easily
curable defect as possible.
After recruiting volunteers, we started the process of fundraising. In
February of 2014, we celebrated Valentine’s Day, which is also the
World Congenital Heart Defect Day, by setting up a LOVE Installation.
This artwork was meant to spread the love around by encouraging
students and teachers to publicly declare their love for one another.
We also held a dress-up day where participants were asked to wear
Smiti Modi
the colour red on 13th February in the spirit of the holiday. Wear
Grade 12
it. Beat it. We participated in the OIS Fest as well. The team created
artworks and jewellery to sell during the event. It was a tedious, yet
ultimately successful endeavour. The entire process was a rewarding learning experience.
In the new academic year, we organised a bake sale and decided to host a grand finale to bring our
project to a conclusion. With a motto in mind, “Come, dance your heart out!” a fundraiser with the
theme of Dandiya and Navratri in mind, was organised. After a lot
of hard work, struggles and maybe even a few breakdowns, the first
Dandiya Night organized at OIS for students was finally there and it
was as the team had visualised. Colourful decorations, good music,
great food and most importantly amazing participants and dancers
were the highlights of the event.
Devanshi Agarwal
Grade 12
Several publicity and awareness campaigns around the school in
form of posters, announcements, emails and videos were carried out
throughout the duration of our project and as a result we managed to
raise Rs. 70,000 from these activities. This money has gone towards
the surgical and medical fund of a baby named Yashwant in Noida. We
are so glad and so proud of the OIS community that we managed to
help save a life and were able to implement real change in the society
around us.
OIS students have actively taken part and shown support for this
wonderful project. We hope that everyone who has ever been involved and participated in any of
the fundraisers has had a good time and has learnt more about this cruel defect.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
23
WEAR IT! BEAT IT!
24
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
INTERACTION OF GRADE 12
WITH GRADE 11
Given the challenges that we eleventh graders faced
this year, it came as huge surprise when we heard about
the positive experiences of the twelfth graders. Hearing
our seniors speak about surviving the course, we were
filled with hope for our own years. They told us in great
detail about how to build on our work ethic, manage our
deadlines, and organize our work. We were provided
with numerous tips and tricks for succeeding at all the
components of the IB Art course including the process
portfolio, the comparative study and the studio works.
They shared their difficulties and mistakes with us which
helped us relate with them and think of ways to prevent
Latika Balachander
them. Overall, the interaction was truly beneficial as we
Grade 11
could get proof that if we work hard and have a solid
work ethic, we can succeed in our goals, whether they be painting a piece inspired
by Frida Kahlo, or studying the works of Monet.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
25
WHITE-WATER KAYAKING
This March, OIS created its first-ever outdoor recreation club, aimed at
teaching students the sport of whitewater kayaking. Not to be confused
with whitewater rafting, kayaking is an individual sport that requires
much more skill on behalf of the paddler. While whitewater kayaking
is rapidly growing across India and well established in areas such as
Bangalore and Rishikesh, few kayakers live in Maharashtra. As such,
we not only faced the challenge of bringing a new club to OIS, but also
of bringing a new sport to the region.
Our first cohort was small, with three athletic and enthusiastic
students: Keya
Shirali (Grade
10), Harman
Gill
(Grade
Lukas Gohl
9), and Stuti
Grade 6 HRT
Srivastava
(Grade
8).
Students began by learning basic skills in the
OIS pool such as proper paddling technique
and basic boater safety. After several one-on-one sessions, our team was ready for our first trip: two
overnight weekends in Karjat, paddling the Pej River. On our first drive to Karjat, my mind raced with
anxious energy. How would our students fare on the river? Would they have fun? Would they want to
continue kayaking after this trip?
Thankfully, the trip was a smashing success. Keya, Harman, and Stuti far surpassed my expectations
both in maturity and aptitude. They were diligent, eager, and paddled fiercely. OIS is now home to
India’s first and only student whitewater kayaking club as well as India’s youngest kayaker--Stuti
Srivastava. Recently, our trip was featured in an article in both the online and print editions of Kayak
Session Magazine (http://www.kayaksession.com/mission-karjat-creating-indias-next-paddlinggeneration/) for our role in creating India’s next generation of paddlers.
We’ve now booked our second and
final trip for this academic year, now
with six students (three new, plus
Keya, Harman, and Stuti), coming in
May. While registrations have now
ended, we’re already in discussions
with both the school and parents for
the 2016-2017 season.
Please stay tuned for updates about
future trips. We look forward to having your son or daughter with us, exploring India’s scenic rivers!
26
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
READING IN VISUAL ART CLASSROOMS
Book Reflection: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson
Burnett Illustrated by Inga Moore
The Secret Garden was one of the first ever illustrated books that
I fell in love with at a very young age. A girl called Mary Lennox is
orphaned when her parents fall victim to a cholera outbreak in India.
As a result, Mary becomes the ward of an uncle in England she has
never met. This is a story about how this little girl spent her days
exploring the gardens; bringing life back not only to the garden but
also the residents of the manor (the uncle and Collins, the ill son).
The illustrator is Inga Moore and her style of rendering is so unique
and very personal at the same time. The use of muted tones but bright
Anamika Anil
colours helped her create a fairy land and also an effect of the mist
Grade 12
surrounding the moors where the book is set. The pastel shades were
lowly saturated, hence enhancing the sense of ‘magic’ surrounding
the book. I particularly loved the way each
part of the story was rendered and the
juxtaposition of Mary’s robin and pet fox.
The most beautiful part was the illustration
of the Secret Garden itself. This was a major
inspiration and instigated me to do a series
of floral print-related art works.
This book is unique in the combination it
provides between nature and humans and
this is shown through the intricate detailing
of every single plant and flower present
in the garden, which makes it suitable for
readers of all ages. The form and function
of the character was synonymous to the
backgrounds, probably to elicit a certain
emotion. The placement of the text too is
very sensitive to the art, thereby making it
seem like one with nature. The illustrations
themselves help the reader visualise clearly
what the characters are seeing, and this is
shown impeccably through out the book
with detailing on all images. This book
inspired me to further study into the process
of illustration and understand the methods
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
27
READING IN VISUAL ART CLASSROOMS
of graphical representation by admin got decorate a text, in this case the story written by Frances
Hodgson Burnett. Illustration also represents scientific images of flora, medicine or different
processes, a biological or chemical processes or technical illustrations to give information on how
to use something. The Secret Garden is a combination of both technical illustrations of the plant life
in the garden and also yet provide a beautiful abstract view of the whole garden.
h t t p : / / 4 1 . m e d i a . t u m b l r. c o m / 1 c a 9 2 5 c 2 2 9 8 4 e f 6 9 3 4 2 5 f c b c 4 8 1 b 0 1 7 7 / t u m b l r _
mijnzhRIRK1rje8pvo2_r1_1280.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/89/95/9b/89959b665f52252afc8a4534ae342b3f.
jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/30/13/15/301315bb9997accef5fe1fd0debed3a1.
jpg
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Athena Doshi
Grade 12
Art is an innate theme in The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Brown
utilizes different pieces of art as motifs to create a map leading to
the Holy Grail. It represents religious facets in an artistic manner to
create an abstract meaning that holds the reader in a sort of trance.
The book utilizes symbolism that connects the artworks to the major
themes in the book. They have the effect of enchanting the reader.
The five most important pieces of artwork in the book—all by Da
Vinci himself—are the Vitruvian Man, Mona Lisa, Virgin of the Rocks,
The Last Supper, and Adoration of the Magi. Brown exemplifies that
art proves untold stories in history. The preceding artworks hide
symbols of goddess worship and the history of Magdalene. The role
of art is to uncover secrets to the beholders that choose to see the
works for what they truly are.
Da Vinci expresses reformist ideas through his artworks by removing
haloes depicted in expensive colors - gold and azure - and created
simple clothing for holy figures such as Mary and the archangels. He interpreted the relationship
between Jesus and Mary in his own manner to create visually mediated pieces as we read about
in the book. As a person, Da Vinci protested against the exploitation of art; thus, instead of being a
religious fanatic, he was considered as the forerunner of reformism. The idea of depicting innate
emotions and opinions through artwork is fundamental to the understanding of our own artworks
in IB. Art is used as a plot device in The Da Vinci Code in understanding the context the book is
placed in.
The Da Vinci Code interprets Da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper to show the chalice that Jesus and
his disciples drink from as archaic; however, this is factually incorrect because other renditions
28
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
READING IN VISUAL ART CLASSROOMS
showcase the chalice to look similar to regular day glasses.
This connects to art because the question of the authenticity
of an artwork comes into play because Dan Brown emplois
sexist reasoning in order to not formulate the shape of the
chalice, but that one of Leonardo’s disciples is a female due
to the shape of her body, hair, and jewellry. This connects art
to culture and gender stereotypes. Art conditions the viewer
to look for a deeper meaning or a hidden message behind a
seemingly simple artwork. Like TOK, by looking at the bigger
picture and connecting art to different global messages, the
value of the art increases and so does the target audience of
the painting and the painter.
Personally, I think that the symbolism used in The Da Vinci
Code, connected well to the sacred geometry breather
because the structure of the intersecting circles reveal
more to the viewer that looks closer into it. To some it can
reveal the idea of continuity, but to others it can simply
be an abstract depiction of shapes. Symbolism is open to
interpretation in the book and in reality because what we
see is based on what we have experienced and our beliefs,
thus it directly affects our reasoning. Art in The Da Vinci Code plays a vital role in the understanding
of the book as a whole, which affects the way we look at other art-based books and media because
our interpretation changes.
Archie Comics
Archie is a spinoff of the original Archie comics starring the same
characters: Archie Andrews, Veronica Lodge and Betty Cooper. The
series features a set of illustrations that have been improvised upon
in the past 100 years.
Nanki Lamba
Grade 12
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
In the original Archie comics, every background character looked
similar and only the main characters had distinct features so as to blur
the lines between the central plot and surrounding action. However,
in the 2016 series, every background character has distinct graphic
features which makes readers divert from the plot. Although this
highlights the sub plot and creates a variation in the central plot,
it does go against previous norms associated with Archie comics.
Initially, Archie comics used traditional comic art introduced by Roy
Lichtenstein, however it has now shifted to modern graphic art. It
29
READING IN VISUAL ART CLASSROOMS
is mostly digitalized compared to a more traditional art
making approach in the previous comics.
Ever since the outbreak of fans for comics like DC and
Marvel, the traditional Archie comics became popular only
to an elderly loyal fan base. One of the major reasons that
the ‘Archie’ series
uses contemporary
digital
art
is
because the writer
wanted to target a
larger
audience
of a wider age gap
to
re-introduce
the popular series.
Archie follows the
same plot line as
the original Archie
series but displays
it in a way that is
more relatable to people in today’s time. One of the most significant factors in Archie is that it uses
the original characters’ features and improvises them in a way that appeals to the modern-day
audience.
The new Archie also has characters from different cultures and races which was not so popular in
the original comics, which makes it more culturally sensitive, and therefore makes it attract a wider
audience. What draws in a majority of readers is the fact that it does
not diverge from its original content drastically, so it involves not just
its original fan base, but also creates a new fan base. In conclusion,
the series is a mere spin-off into a modern day interpretation of what
the series would have been had it been originally released in today’s
time. There is a lot of debate as to whether the changes in the comics
destroy the original comics, or exemplify Archie in a manner that all
readers are content.
50 Art Ideas You Really Need to Know
Vidhi Alwe
Grade 12
30
50 Art Ideas You Really Need to Know by Susie Hodge is a musthave book that I recommend for any visual arts student across the
world. This small, palm-sized book holds most of the forms of art
we see today. From the Renaissance period to post-modernism; from
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
READING IN VISUAL ART CLASSROOMS
Egyptian to Greek art. Each page has a small thesis on each art form
that is based on a time line. The major contents include the ancients
to post-Renaissance, the spread of new learning, the emergence of
modernism, challenge and change, and new directions.
They include roughly every function of art a student must know.
These include religious representations, propaganda, and
commemoration, and social commentary, interpretation of reality,
depiction of beauty, storytelling and the portrayal of emotion.
This book is a bible of ground-breaking ideas that may be used for
inspirational or educational purposes. I recommend this book to
be kept close by if you are an art student. It holds all the basic
information that may lead someone on the right path instead of
leaving them thinking, “I didn’t know this exists!” Know everything you must know about art in this
handy little book. A bonus is that this book also holds unanticipated possibilities for the future of
art.
How I incorporate the knowledge in this book is through finding my key interests. Many times I
would be confused about some art work I would like to create but I didn’t have a base. Visual arts
is a class where we have to have some form of connection of the art form we create to some era or
type like pop art. Knowing the details in this book helps me create a thesis of my own. In fact it even
allows me to write my comparative studies and small explorations. There were so many forms of
art I wasn’t aware of if which I hadn’t known, I wouldn’t be able to have the sufficient knowledge to
even execute it. For the batches I have seen, they take years to explore new knowledge about art and
even at the end of a two year journey they know so little, with information scattered and no clear
knowledge of what fits where. This also being the content a teacher should teach, is often thought
that doing activities will lead the students to know all of this but it will only confuse them more.
Regrettably, I did not find this book until the very end of my last semester. It will show a crystal-clear
guide as to what happened where in which country, by whom, and the rest of the vital information,
just to give one a kick start. If, for instance, I want to know what everything is, a brief description
is available in this book. And if I find it interesting I can write a research paper by further doing
extensive external research. The only purpose of this book is to inform. It won’t benefit a student
who wants to do extensive research but instead just wants to be informed.
Image 1- “Birdrock Hotel Friday Harbor, San Juan Island Lodging.” Birdrock Hotel Friday Harbor,
San Juan Island Lodging. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2016.
http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781623651794_p0_v6_s260x420.JPG
Content-”Robot Check.” Robot Check. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. http://www.amazon.com/ArtIdeas-Really-Need-Know/dp/1848661320
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
31
CAUSATHON 2016 – AUTISM
AWARENESS
Naomi Solomon
Grade 3
A few years ago I wondered why my friend Rohan was a bit different
than other kids. At that time I was only 6 years old. My mom tried
to explain to me that he was different
because he was special. I still couldn’t
understand clearly until one day Rohan’s
mom explained to me that Rohan has
autism. She explained to me that he
needs a little more help than normal
children in my school to study to do his
daily activities. I then understood that
Rohan needs a little more attention and
lots and lots of love to understand other
people. I have also seen his parents
struggle with him and also hug him tight
when he was good.
As each day passed and I saw the way Rohan was growing up learning from his mom and dad and
brother, I decided I should also do something to help my friend and other children like him. In 2014,
my brother Nathan and his friends ran 7 km to raise money for Khushi Paediatric Centre where
Rohan goes for therapy. The causathon is organised by Khushi Paediatric Centre every year close to
the World Autism Day which is on April 3. My birthday falls on April 5 of each year. So when I was
going to be 8 years old I asked my mom if I could celebrate my birthday by inviting my friends and
family to run for the Causathon and will donate the registration
money to Khushi Paediatric Centre. My mom said YES. Yay.
So now I have celebrated two of my birthdays raising funds for
Autism Awareness and running the Causathon with my friends.
This year many of my friends from school came to run and support
the autism awareness causathon. There were 22 friends who
joined me with their families from school. Their names are Angath
Sadanah, Leia Sadanah, my brother Nathan Solomon Soham
Mukherji, Shubh Mukherji, Aryan, Kudva, Khushi Kudva, Alizeh
Mehta, Arjun Mehta, Shlok Malhotra, Sparsh Malhotra, Miraya
Goenka, Anavi Goenka, Rianna Goenka, Shaurya Chaudhary, Saniya
Jaffer, Yohann Jaffer, Rideema Mhaiskar, Raima Mhaisker , Grisha
Gupta, Harshwardhan Gupta.
This year my mom said more than 800 people ran for this cause. I hope for the coming years to be
successful for this causathon and the team Khushi Paediatric Center and special thanks my friend
Rohan. He has made a room in my heart forever; I will always hold his hand whenever he needs me
to. I promise to raise more awareness on autism each passing day! This lovely run… I couldn’t have
done it without him.
32
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Here is a listing of the events that OIS Athletes took part in during the month of April
Date
Sport
Friday, April
01st, to Sunday,
April 03rd, 2016
HS Boys Basketball Ecole
Energise Tournament
Friday, April
01st, to Sunday,
April 03rd, 2016
Saturday, April
02nd, 2016
Saturday, April
02nd, 2016
Wednesday, April
06th, 2016
Thursday, April
07th, 2016
Thursday, April
07th, 2016
Saturday, April
09th, 2016
Saturday, April
09th, 2016
Saturday, April
09th, 2016
Monday, April
11th, 2016
Tuesday, April
12th, 2016
Tuesday, April
12th, 2016
Wednesday, April
13th, 2016
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
HS Girls Football Ecole Energise
Tournament
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘A’ / OIS
v HMPS
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘B’ /OIS v
HMPS
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘B’ / OIS
v EMWS
HS Boys & Girls Badminton OIS
v andra YMCA
HS Boys & Girls Table Tennis OIS
v Bandra YMCA
HS Boys Basketball OIS v ASB
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘A’ / OIS
v ASA
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘B’ / OIS
v ASA
MS Girls Basketball OIS v Bandra
YMCA
MS Boys Basketball OIS v Bandra
YMCA
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘A’ OIS v
ASA
HS Boys Basketball OIS v OIS
Staff/Parents
Venue
EMWS
EMWS
OIS
OIS
OIS
Participating
Schools
ASB, OIS, SIS,
DAIS, DYPIS,
EMWS, BDS,
HFIS
ASB, OIS, JNS,
DAIS, EMWS,
BDS, EIS
HMPS
HMPS
EMWS
OIS
Bandra YMCA
OIS
ASB
OIS
OIS
ASB
Bandra YMCA
ASB
ASB
Participation/
Achievement
Second Place
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
OIS
Bandra YMCA
Participation
OIS
NWSC
Participation
OIS
OIS
Bandra YMCA
OISpS
Participation
Participation
33
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Date
Saturday,
16th, 2016
Saturday,
16th, 2016
Monday,
18th, 2016
Saturday,
23rd, 2016
Saturday,
23rd, 2016
April
April
April
April
April
Tuesday,
April
26th, 2016
Wednesday, April
27th, 2016
Wednesday, April
27th, 2016
Sport
Venue
HS Boys Basketball OIS v ASB
ASB
MS Boys Basketball
OIS v ASB, OIS v BDS
MS Girls Basketball
OIS v RBKIS
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘A’ OIS v
ASA
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘B’ OIS v
ASA
MS Boys Cricket
Team ‘A’ OIS v St.Jude High
School, Kurla
MS Boys Cricket Team ‘B’ OIS v
St.Jude High School, Kurla
HS Boys Basketball OIS Staff/
Parents/Students v SIS Staff/
Students
ASB
Participating Participation/
Schools
Achievement
ASB
Participation
ASB
Participation
ASA
Participation
OIS
RBKIS
OIS
ASA
OIS
OIS
St.Jude High
School, Kurla
OIS
SIS
OIS
St.Jude High
School, Kurla
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participating Schools
American School of Bombay (ASB), BandraKurla Complex
Ecole Mondial World School (EMWS), Juhu
Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS),
Bandra-Kurla Complex
Hiranandani Foundation International School
(HFIS), Powai
Deutsche Schule of Bombay (DSB), Malabar Hill RBK International School (RBKIS), Chembur
Suburb
B.D.Somani Internaitonal School (BDS), Cuffe
Hansraj Morarji Public School (HMPS), Andheri
Parade
Oberoi International School (OISpS)-Parents & Bandra YMCA, Bandra
Staff
DY Patil International School (DYPIS), Worli
Ajmera Sports Academy (ASA), Wadala
Singapore International School (SIS), Vileparle New Warrior Sports Club (NWSC), Santacruz
St.Jude High School, Kurla
34
Jamnabai Narsee School (JNS)
April 2016
CORE VALUE OF THE MONTH:CREATIVITY
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Students from Grade 4 (Primary School)
won the PIFA league in the under 10
category. They scored as 3rd runners up
out of 22 teams in the Kenkre league held
this month.
They also came in 1st at the expat premier
league.
Siddhant Shankar from Grade 4B stood
3rd in the recently concluded Balkanji
Bari Open Badminton Tournament in the
U-11 boys category.
VOL. 8 / ISSUE 08
Vedika Amin - Grade 4 won at the
prestigious Otters swim meet with 5 golds
and 4 silver medals. She won the Best
Swimmer trophy in the U11 category. The
highlight at the event was her breaking
and creating 4 New Meet Records, some
which had been standing for 21 years!
The Otters Club Open Swim Gala 2016
was held on April 16 and 17, 2016. At the
meet Armaan Sikka, Grade 6, OIS went
under the meet record in some events,
securing 1 gold, 5 silvers and the Runners
Up Championship Trophy in the Boys
Under 13 category.
35
IMPORTANTANNOUNCEMENTS
• Friday, May 27th Graduation Day
36
April 2016
Oberoi International School, Oberoi Garden City,
Off Western Express Highway, Goregaon (E), Mumbai - 400 063 | +91 22 42363131/199
CEEB Code: 671665 | UCAS Centre Number: 46207 | IB Code: 003566