Middle School weekly

Happy Friday, middle school community!

Half Day Change

Due to a change in Tara Barton’s schedule (our service learning consultant), the half day originally scheduled for Tuesday, Feb 25th, has been moved to Tuesday, March 3rd. Apologies for any inconvenience.

The Curse and the Blessing of the WhatsApp Group

Technology is a fickle monster. As educators in the 21st century, we struggle between its irreplaceable role as a learning tool and the challenge we face helping students to learn how to use technology wisely, effectively and safely. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard adults say something like, “I’m glad I didn’t grow up when smartphones were around!” To that, I absolutely agree.

Technology use doesn’t come easy to adults at times, either. Our social texting groups such as WhatsApp and Viber provide us with an almost instantaneous means of sending and retrieving information. Particularly in our jet-setting lifestyles as expatriates and international professionals, we have a hard time remembering how we ever lived without it. In our AISL community, these groups are invaluable for a variety of factors: arranging transport, retrieving our children’s missed homework, getting the information on the upcoming AISL events and remembering those due dates for paperwork that sneaks up on parents at the eleventh hour. To assist students in being responsible on social media platforms, we can model appropriate and positive content.

As stakeholders, we all play a role in the positive climate of our school and learning community. Board members, parents, administrators, teachers and students are all members of the AISL family, working together to create a safe, welcoming and supportive environment for students to learn, grow and achieve. Unfortunately, even in the apparent safety of a social texting group, comments and discussions can breed negativity, misinformation and slander. In these texting groups, our texts are more permanent than verbal words and inevitably manage to reach, and thus affect, the wider community.

What can we do as adult members of AISL to continue to promote a positive learning environment when interacting in on social media and in a texting group? Fortunately, there are some easy strategies:

• Decide the purposes of the group: to inform? To provide updates on upcoming events? As a place to get information if there’s a sudden change in the school day or traffic is afoot?
• When texting out to others, consider: is what I am contributing relevant? Is it kind? Am I sure the information is correct? Am I contributing to the positive climate of AISL?
• If someone has a complaint concerning the school, please direct them to the appropriate teacher or administrator for further explanation or assistance. That’s part of the reason we’re here; wIthout open communication, we cannot move forward and create necessary change together.
• Did you know that you can set WhatsApp groups so that only group administrators can send messages? If you have someone who’s “in the know” and your group is for informational purposes, what a terrific way of streamlining the conversation to pertinent information only and reducing the number of “pings” coming from your phone.

Thank you, parents, for your continued support, encouragement and participation as we move forward. We cannot do this job without your input and assistance!

Ornithologist Visit in Preparation for the Great Backyard Birdcount - by Ms. Adrienne Higley

On Tuesday, AISL grade seven scientists welcomed Dr. Joseph Onojo, who is an ornithologist and Director for the Nigerian Conservation Center. He spoke to the students about how to identify birds via physical features and discussed common birds found in Nigeria. He also discussed the importance of monitoring bird populations, which can be used as natural indicators to monitor habitat quality, pollution, biodiversity and disease outbreak. The students were also introduced to appropriate binocular use and given the opportunity to practice by spotting things outside the library windows.

The students were able to use Dr. Onojo as a primary source of information for their summative “A Bird’s Eye View” interdisciplinary Science and English project. Students are being assessed on power standard: Ecosystems (Energy sources, Energy Flow, and Interdependence; and power standard: Evolution (Classification, Adaptations, and Natural Selection). In English, students will be assessed on the following power standards: Compose an Argument (write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence); and Research (conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation).

In two weeks, students will be visiting Lekki Conservation Center to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, sponsored by Cornell University, in which students will continue to practice developing their binocular skills, bird watch, record and report data globally using technology with the mobile app, eBird.

And that’s the week!

Please see below for a summary of upcoming events. Thank you for choosing AISL and allowing us to spend quality time with your children. Have a relaxing weekend.

Sincerely,

John Powell

Middle School Principal

American International School of Lagos (AISL)

www.aislagos.org