The Junction

Friday 11 November 2022

A Note From Ms Davies

Let’s talk about health…

This month it seems appropriate to use The Junction for a subject close to all of our hearts: our health. October’s breast care/cancer awareness month is newly over; and Movember is upon us, we have put away our pink and replaced our ribbons with a swathe of beautiful moustaches. Facial hair and beards are now beginning to adorn many of our male members of staff. Our students and female staff have also entered into the spirit of this month of male health awareness, with a variety of comedy facial hair appendages.

Sixth Form students wearing their moustaches with pride for Movember

It is easy, when taking pleasure in the variety of moustaches, to enjoy the moment of shared hilarity, but it is also important to remember the focus of Movember, a month to open up conversations about men’s health, including the delicate areas that men are renowned for not wanting to discuss, and the act of discussion itself.

It is also easy to forget that our health is influenced by a broad range of factors. Food, diet and exercise have become an almost daily, acceptable aspect of discussion in our lives, with people becoming more aware of the dangers of an excess of processed food, sugar and “fast food”. All over Dubai this month, people are engaging in the 30x30 challenge, getting out and about and exercising, taking opportunities to try new sports such as padel, frisbee or skydiving. The question remains - do we talk often enough about our mental health? Do we engage with the significance of stress and supporting our stressed bodies and minds with meditation, breathing and relaxation?

Mental health awareness has increased significantly in the last decade, with organisations and global businesses generally happier to discuss mental health and more open to putting in place policies to ensure staff wellbeing. Unsursprisingly, research suggests that a happier work place, with better wellbeing outcomes, is more productive. The focus has sometimes been on the individual; to exercise, take up yoga, eat healthy food, and individual change and habits can be a significant driver of positive health outcomes. External factors are also important. As a famous proponent of the Positive Psychology model, Martin Seligman, states: “Well-being cannot exist just in your own head. Well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as actually having meaning, good relationships and accomplishment.”

Schools and business organisations need to ensure that work demands and environments encourage openness and allow people to be vulnerable without fear of “failure”. Culturally, this is happening more in some nations than others, and some nations may ‘talk the talk’ but not actually ‘walk the walk’ - the inevitable consequence of the United Kingdom’s recent political ‘lean in’ towards further austerity can only lead to increasing limitations in health care and educational investments, increasing costs of living and limits to the social security system - hardly a positive environment for excellent mental health outcomes.

As teachers, as parents, as students, we are very fortunate to be here, in Dubai, where the sun is shining, the health care is excellent, and people are encouraged by government campaigns, such as 30x30, to look after our health. As a school, we are proud to support health initiatives such as Movember and the Dubai 30x30 challenge.

Sixth Form tutors and Ms Davies weariing serious moustache faces for Movember

What is the best thing we can do to look after our mental health? The five most recognised actions that we can take to look after our mental as well as physical health, are:

Connect with other people. Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing.
Be physically active. Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness.
Learn new skills.
Give to others.
Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness).
Laughter.

All 5 of these vital ingredients are catered for well in our Jebel Ali community, the students are presented with opportunities for connection every day and good relationships are fostered between students and staff. PE lessons are fun and challenging and there are plenty of extra curricular activities available, from frisbee and rounders to football, basketball and swimming. The students learn new skills every week, just last week in Year 9, students were learning how to weld circuits. Charity campaigns promote the idea of giving to others and sixth formers support students around school in their role as peer coaches, in supporting Extra Curricular activities and being active as Prefects and House Leaders. Finally, mindfulness is explored through mentor time and we hope the photographs in this article have given you some moments of laughter, as will the social media posts in the month ahead showing the moustache growth of our students and members of staff.

We hope the photographs have made you laugh as much as they did us…

Isn’t it wonderful the opportunities we present to our children through our school? One of the best things we can do, as parents, is to also model positive behaviour for our children, by eating healthily, exercising regularly and talking about the importance of looking after our own mental health through community support, meditation or learning new skills.Here at JAS we do an outstanding job at looking after our students - let’s make sure that, throughout November and Movember, as we grow and wear comedy moustaches, we look after ourselves, the men around us, and each other too.

Ms Sian Davies

Assistant Headteacher Sixth Form & proud owner of a temporary comedy moustache

Week in Review

This week our Year 11s undertook their Component 2: Devising Drama performance exam.

We had the pleasure of welcoming family and friends to a preview of the performances on Tuesday evening, before their final performance on Thursday.

The students have been working extremely hard since September to create, develop and perform these pieces and have done themselves proud!

Well done to Ananya, Bella, Bethany, Ceren, Freya, Maya, Yasmina, and Zidane!

Secondary Production - Oliver!

Oliver! 2023 - Week 8 in Rehearsals

Watch out! There’s pickpockets about…

Sneaky, mischievous and cheeky was the focus of our characterisation this week as we began working with Fagin and his guileful gang!

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Cast List

Director - Ms. R Channon

Musical Director - Mr. A Laird

Assissant Director - Miss. K Hansford

Choreographer - Mr. S Sonsin

Stage Manager - Yasmina Habib (Year 11)

If you need to contact any of the Production Team please do so via schoolproduction@jebelalischool.org

Secondary Production Google Classroom: Aztar5o (students only)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOAN7c63VxWtrfERmudXEBtof80VIm_xHh6r0RgJHE_mQdbw/viewform Rehearsal schedule is updated on GC every Friday afternoon for the following week. Please check this weekly to see when you are needed in rehearsal.

Rehearsal Times

Monday 12.50pm-13.15pm

Wednesday 3.30pm-5.00pm

Thursday 06.50am-7.20am

7RRI are starting to create their wire portraits as part of the ‘Portrait’ project. The students have looked at the artist Alexander Calder and how he created wire sculpture.

Our Art and Photography GCSE students are hard at work ahead of their mock period of sustained focus, to make sure they are fully prepared to conclude their individual projects. Students are looking at screen printing and digital manipulation alongside more traditional painting techniques.

Business

This week in Business, Year 11 have looked at the product life cycle of different products and the importance of differentiating products to extend the life cycle. In small groups they have looked at how a biscuit brand could be differentiate its products to avoid withdrawing them from the market.

Computer Science

Malware is malicious software that can wreak havoc on a computer and its network. Hackers use it to steal passwords, delete files and render computers inoperable. A malware infection can cause many problems that affect the daily operation and long-term security of a company.

In Computer Science this week, Year 11 students have been investigating the different types of malware, typically delivered over a network, that infects, explores, steals or conducts virtually any behavior an attacker wants. Fortunately, anti-malware is a type of software program created to protect IT systems and individual computers from malware and they can be used effectively to safeguard systems from attacks.

Kindness Bingo by JAS Prefects

JAS Secondary Sport

Please see a reminder below of any key documents you need for any information regarding JAS Sport.

JAS Cricket

Our U16 cricket team took part in their first friendly fixture last week against KSAB. A huge thank you to Kings for hosting a great afternoon of cricket. They came away with their frist win with a great batting performance from Shayaan.

Secondary Cross Country

On Tuesday afternoon the students competed in a single sex relay competition. It was great to see so many students running for the school and a special mention goes to Miss Thompson and Miss Rose for all of their hard work and support with the club. Please see an overview of the results below.

U19 boys: 6th and 14th (out of 31)

U19 giris: 3rd 🥉 (out of 32)

U15 boys: 9th and 22nd (out of 47)

U15 girls: 21st (out of 44)

U13 boys: 3rd 🥉 and 31st (out of 45)

U13 girls: 18th and 25th (out of 44)

Football Highlights

The U19 boys football team came away with a 3-3 draw this week with some great goals from Yanis and Ben. The U13 boys football team brought home their first win of the season 4-0 with Archie scoring the first goal of the match. The U13 girls also brought home a win 2-1 with a great team performance. The U12B girls football team just lost out with 2-1 defeat with phenomenal performance in defence from Leika.

What’s On - JAS Secondary Sport - WC 14 November

JAS PE

It has been a busy few weeks for all things Academic PE. Last year, this covered the experiences of our GCSE students, but now we are incredibly proud to say this includes our A Level cohort too.

A Level PE

As far as subjects go, there aren’t many with the same level of breadth and depth as this one. In the same week, the A-Level students were learning about the electric impulses sent through the heart by the cardiac conduction system. They were also learning about how mob football and events such as the Gloucester cheese roll helped form the foundation of modern sport as we know it. Always looking for ways to make our subject practical, you can see our students exploring the concept of learning plateaus in skill development through an experiment that tested how practice improved their ability to complete the same closed skill over time.

GCSE PE

The Year 11’s have been tackling the final stages of their Personal Exercise Programme coursework. Their 6 week programmes were created to improve a specific fitness component that will have a positive effect on their athletic performance. In the next few weeks, the students will complete their final data sets, allowing them to compare key performance markers and then analyse their findings, using their theoretical knowledge to explain any results.

The Year 10’s are currently navigating the anatomy and physiology elements of the course. Specifically looking at the musculoskeletal system, our students are now fluent in naming the muscles and bones within the body, as well as the function of these specific structures and how they work together to create movement within sport. In the images, you can see the groups recreating the human skeletal system using pasta!

We’ve also been so excited to run the Year 9 taster sessions, where prospective GCSE PE students have taken a hands-on approach to learning the main muscle groups within the body. Could you take on the challenge of GCSE PE? Test yourself! How many of the following can you correctly point to? Deltoid, quadricep, gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, femur, patella, clavicle?

Remember, if you have questions about options, subject selection, or more details about academic PE pathways offered here at JAS, please come and see us in the PE department.

Dubai Fitness Challenge

It has been another fantastic week! Yet another incredible turnout for our second activity of the challenge. This week’s 30x30 challenge was speed bounce. The students have been bouncing their socks off during their break times and doing it with great big smiles on their faces, scoring lots of house points for their respective houses. The JAS Spirit has been vibrating through each and every student participating, and we couldn’t be any more proud to see them engaging with such positive mindsets. They have been showing several qualities of the JAS Values, such as inclusivity, cheering on fellow friends and keeping their confidence high. They have shown resilience by motivating themselves and getting back up after every missed step. So, come join in on the fun, unwind from all the school work and have a good time competing against your friends!

Next week we will be finding out who can row the furthest distance in 30 seconds. The question is, are you up for the challenge? We cannot wait to see all of you on the field next week, so get those killer arms moving and fix up your technique!

The Top 5 from Secondary are…

Endre Szakacs Water 83

Juan Alverez Air 82

Sofia Berry Fire 72

Oliver Lee Earth 72

Maya Mcguire Earth 72

‘Just keep rowing, just keep rowing, just keep rowing, rowing, rowing’

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Living in the Online World

Looking Ahead

International & Residential Trips 2022-2023

We are extremely excited to share with you the upcoming international and residential trips for the 2022-2023 academic year. These experiences are subject to the number of students who sign-up. Below you will find the dates, a brief description, and approximate costs. Further information will follow.

PTA

Helpful Hints

Helpful Hints from History

Following on from Getting Balance in Our Media Lives and in light of recent world events, I thought it would be valuable to highlight the importance of checking one’s sources for this week’s Helpful Hints. As Historians, the students are constantly reminded of checking for validity within their sources, not only in the work they do in class, but also in their daily lives. This is something that can be used when you or your children come into contact with certain reactionary sources. With the ability to access media with the click of a button, it is important to remember these questions.

Where was the research published?

This is something that should be at the forefront of your mind when looking at a source. Speculation is not fact, it is speculation and this is what many media outlets use to drive up engagement on their various sites. So, it is important to check where in fact they came from. Sources that are credible have been peer-reviewed, they might be journal articles, published books or even a website with the proper credentials.

When was the research published?

Information in different disciplines changes over time, sometimes certain areas need to be updated frequently. When looking specifically at the world news sources that are released, make sure you are looking at reputable sources that are current with their factual updates.

Is the information you are reading biased?

A credited writer will display a piece of information in a way that displays all facts upfront. A distinguished writer aims to build trust with their audience. A top tip is if you can google the authors name, have they written anything else? Is there any information on them? Are they credited in the field they are writing about? Do they have an agenda?

Are references provided?

Your typical Instagram or Facebook video will most likely not have any references. These sources of information are often reactionary and aim to drive up engagement in terms of likes or shares, thus promoting the ‘fake news’. With website, sometimes looking at the overall layout of the web design will be a massive indicator as to whether the information is valid. Check for things like spelling mistakes, faulting referencing or bizarre domain names for clues.

Overall it is up to all of us to second-guess what we are reading in this age of constant accessibility. We need to make sure that we are able to differentiate real from fake and understand the ‘hype’ around certain topics. It is vital to be aware of how the promotion of certain content may be harmful to groups of people or individuals themselves. So check your facts!

Jenna Brownlee

History Teacher

Article of Interest

Yes, Optimism, Imagery, and Self-Talk Work

Three new studies show how to train your brain to achieve peak performance.

Three large studies, when considered together, confirm that stress ages you, optimism extends your life, and self-talk works to help you achieve your goals and improve your performance.

None of these are astonishing, given the evidence that has developed over the years, but taken together, the studies suggest the importance of taking seriously the mental work of framing your life–and your work—in various ways that avoid doom and gloom and that focus on the positive.

The first study looked at almost 6,000 adults and found that stressors weaken your immune system over time and thus accelerate aging. The effects can be combatted with a good diet and exercise, but you probably already knew that. We often can’t control the stressful events that life hands us, so it’s up to us to control what we can–certainly the daily diet and exercise that can keep us feeling better, more in control, and less helpless in the face of difficulty, whether in our organisational or personal lives.

The second study followed 150,000 people for over a quarter century and found that being optimistic added about four years to your life. The sample was large enough to eliminate the other effects due to diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors, leaving only the effect of optimism. So just by thinking happy thoughts, we can extend our lives, folks. It’s the opposite of the old joke about cutting out one vice or another not really making you live longer–just seeming longer. With optimism, presumably, you both feel better and live longer.

Finally, the self-improvement study looked at 44,000 people trying three different kinds of motivational techniques. Self-talk came out first, followed closely by mental imagery (constructing visual scenes of success), and third by planning to act positively. It works best to focus on either process or outcome rather than self-instruction. Say to yourself, “I will ace that presentation,” or “I will remember to stand tall and exude confidence.”

Anyone seriously interested in peak performance issues in high-adrenaline endeavours like public speaking, or leadership, needs to understand what these studies–and many others like them–teach us. As we strive to get better at a high-adrenaline craft, most of us will sooner or later face the gremlins of anxiety and psychological blocks to our advancement.

Yet while no one is surprised to see an Olympic skier readying herself by running over the route in her mind, it is a practice that so far has not carried over into public speaking and leadership as much as it should.

As a result, those gremlins hold more of us back more often and for longer than they need to.

In sports, the notion that you need to make allies of your mind and body in creating peak performance is well understood. The idea is simple: to imagine the skirun, the gymnastic routine, or the weight-lifting sequence so that when it comes to actually do it, you do it better. Add to that a positive mantra, and you are good to go.

So pay attention to these studies, and get to work if you haven’t already. To be sure, many questions still need more answers, especially about imagery work. For example, is it better to imagine your routine externally, like a movie, seeing yourself doing it, or internally, from your perspective, seeing what you would see as you did it?

Is it better to imagine the routine visually, forming images of the routine, or kinetically, feeling your muscles go through the routine? Or is some combination of the above the most effective? The research hints at the latter, but more needs to be done.

Further, is it better to imagine good outcomes or to imagine yourself avoiding bad outcomes? The large studies suggest optimism is best. Are imagery and self-talk best for easing performance anxiety or for focus– increasing your physical symptoms to be like game day? It appears that you need a bit of both, but it depends on the desired outcome.

None of these questions should prevent you from beginning today with optimism and self-talk to improve your general well-being and your specific life as a public speaker or an executive in a high-stakes role in a large organisation, a startup, or in politics.

Morgan, N. (2022, July 29). Yes, Optimism, Imagery, and Self-Talk Work. Psychology Today. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communications-matter/202207/yes-optimism-imagery-and-self-talk-work?collection=1175062

Keren Chittenden

Head of Psychology

Student of the Month

Student Focus/Highlight

Samuel Collier won the final golf competition on Saturday afternoon at Jumeirah Golf Estates and as such has qualified as the only Junior to play in the prestigious Rolex PRO AM.

The competition is on Tuesday 15^th November. This is as big as it gets for amateur golfers as he will be in the field with the world’s Top 50 golfers including Rory Mcllroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Huge congratulations also to Shamsa Al Mheriri from Year 8 who won third place, representing the UAE at the Al Ain showjumping competition. A wonderful achievement from our talented Showjumper!

Staff Profile

Danielle Irwin - English and Media Studies Teacher

Ms Irwin joined us this year as an English and Media Studies teacher. She studied English Language at Cardiff University, but also took journalism modules which sparked her interest in Media Studies. Before completing a PGCE in Secondary English, Ms Irwin took a year out to work and travel around Asia and Australia.

Ms Irwin taught in Wiltshire, where she is from, for two years before making the move to Dubai. She spent five years teaching English and Media Studies at Jumeirah College, before making the exciting move to JAS this year. Ms Irwin is particularly looking forward to establishing the new subject of Media Studies at JAS, with it being taught at GCSE and A Level from this year.

Danielle says of the JAS values:

“Kindness is the most important value to me - it makes the world go round.”

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