The Junction

11 March 2022

A Note From Mr Green

'And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back becasue her passion burned brighter than her fears.'

Mark Anthony, The Beautiful Truth

I often said that I’m lucky and I believe this because I genuinely feel inspired every day. Inspiration for me takes many forms. Sometimes from books or newspapers. Sometimes from laughter or challenge. Sometimes it comes from literature or art. Most of all, it comes from people.

I’m inspired every day by the people around me, be it my family or friends, staff or students or the good and the great we see and read about. Their inspiration reminds me to keep grounded, keep focused, remain resilient and strive for excellence.

I was reading again this week about the 19-year-old climate activist, Greta Thunberg. It was only a few years ago that she was awarded Time magazines person of the year but she is a constant reminder to us all of what courage and leadership looks like. She has, of course made many headlines by sparking a global movement of young people striving for climate justice, but I remember her most for when she stood passionately before the world’s assembled leaders in the UN in 2019 and berated their lack of action. Thunberg ended her speech with lines that have since resonated with millions, ‘Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.’ She has already sacrificed much in her short life, but there can be no denying the inspiration she can inspire in us all to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and believe that we can make a difference in this world. In this particular case, we simply have no other choice but to act.

Similarly, I have felt inspired, this week, by the work of the Maiden Factor Foundation. They raise awareness of the 130 million girls worldwide who are currently not able to access education by interacting with, fundraising for and supporting community programmes worldwide that enable girls into education and support them to remain there through their teenage years. ‘Maiden’ is a boat, but its remarkable history is inextricably linked with that of her skipper, Tracy Edwards MBE who led the first all-female crew to compete in the notoriously difficult Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989/90. Tracy’s determination and skill in the face of sexism in the male-dominated yacht-racing world, and the power of the crew’s female friendships has been immortalized in a documentary of the same name and I would urge you to seek it out. It will have you sobbing by the end, even if you’re a landlubber who gets seasick on the lazy river around Aquaventure. Maiden is currently on a three year world tour, visiting upwards of 60 destinations in over 40 countries and recently set sail from Dubai to promote women and girls’ recruitment into industries such as Coding, Computing, Business, Banking, Scientific Research, Marine Biology and Climate Activism. A truly empowering story for us all, as parents, teachers and students.

Perhaps some of you are already noticing a concurrent theme in those people I have been inspired by recently, but should it not be too obvious, allow me to show a piece of art that inspires me every morning when I enter my office. The print is by the artist Karen Hallion from her ‘She’ series collage. Being a passionate historian, I felt compelled to acquire this particular print due to the inspirational people it portrayed and the call to arms they convey. One such individual is Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She was a warrior for gender equality throughout her career. She used her intelligence and voice to advocate justice; demonstrated passion, commitment and purpose that was never ego-driven and will be remembered as one of the finest Supreme Court Justices in American history. Oh, and a fine dissenter and inspiration of key American legislation.

And so, to Tuesday 8 March of this week: International Women’s Day. Greta Thunberg tweeted: ‘#InternationalWomensDay is not for celebrating. It is for protesting against and raising awareness about the fact that people are still being oppressed or treated differently because of their gender’. This is not an article primarily about celebration, nor recognition, although it clearly does both. It’s about inspiration. International Women’s Day originally recognised the day women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917. It was then adopted by the feminist movement in the late 1960s. It is about inspiration and we don’t need just one day to appreciate this. The quote at the start of this article pays homage to this premise. It reminds me very much of Hermia (‘And though she be but little, she is fierce’) from Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream’, a character of untapped strength and yet who remains kind and gentle to those around. Her empowerment during the play is, in itself, inspiring and reminds us that the play written at the very end of the 16^th Century is still as refreshing and relevant today. For me, the quote reminds me of another inspirational young lady, my daughter.

At the end of yet another busy week at Jebel Ali School, I can genuinely say that I’ve been inspired every day. Whether this has been by the teachers in their classrooms, the activities on the Sports fields, the care and compassion from our pastoral team, the creativity and skill in the art rooms, the amazing performances of our students on Tuesday morning, the energy and enthusiasm on our school tours, the support and motivation from mentors and leaders or simply the smile on a school gate. Jebel Ali School is an inspirational place to be and the point is, to feel inspired one merely need to open one’s eyes and breathe it in.

Week in Review

EXPO Snippet

Architects of Air’s Luminarium

In February, the Architects of Air’s Luminarium arrived at Expo. From the outside, it looks like an oddly shaped inflatable alien structure but it is inside that the magic happens!

The luminarium is called Dodecalis and features three domes, each with a different centre point and pattern of light. There are nooks and crannies to explore as you wander through the labyrinth of light, and the experience is both relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

As you wander through the maze of tunnels made from inflatable material you are immersed in an experience of colour shining through the coloured plastic from outside. Each experience is unique as the light changes due to the time of day or the weather.

Alan Parkinson the founder and designer of Architects of Air, said: “We build labyrinths for people to explore, where they can lose themselves, take pleasure in the uncertainty of disorientation and be primed for some fresh discovery.”

The luminarium is free for everyone visiting Expo and will be in Dubai until 31 March.

Fiona Cameron

Primary Deputy Headteacher

Business

This week, Year 10s have been studying Technology in Business. Each group presented their findings to the class. One group produced their own quiz questions and another ran a Kahoot for everyone to test their knowledge and understanding.

Science

Year 7AT have been looking at the science of sounds and are finishing their sound topic with an orchestra.

February Students of the Month

Congratulations to Sonny 10LH for winning the AED100 cinema voucher from a draw with all the other students of the month.

Psychology

The Year 10 GCSE Psychology students were given the opportunity to be teachers this week! They worked collaboratively to prepare a lesson on factors that affect perception (emotion, culture, expectation and motivation) and were required to prepare a slide presentation, a handout for students and a game or activity to consolidate what they had taught. Mrs. Chittenden was so impressed by how confidently they taught the lessons that she could take a three-week holiday and leave them to teach each other!

Special mention goes to Maya and Alejanda for their inspirational teaching materials. Their lesson was engaging and enjoyable and the activities and examples they used have given Mrs. Chittenden some ideas!

Chemistry

Year 10 Chemists did their first titration experiment this week. The students have been looking at neutralisation and different methods of producing soluble salts. Titration is a method used to make a soluble salt from an acid and an alkali. Titration is also used as an analytical tool to measure unknown concentrations of solutions.

Arabic

The Year 7 Arabic students were learning independently about different schools that offered good education in a poor environment. Well done!

The Arabic students were inspired and motivated as they compete to create the best presentation about the Museum of the Future.

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Computer Science

Binary is a base-2 number system using only two digits: zero and one. Binary is needed to represent data and program instructions because of the way computers work.

Over the last few weeks, the Year 10 Computer Science students have been learning how numbers, sound, text and images are represented in binary. Each group created a presentation explaining how sound is represented in binary and they shared their findings with the rest of the class. Well done!

This week in art, Year 9 have been completing some ink and mixed media experiments based on the work of Emirati artist Abdul Qader Al Rais. They then moved on to planning their own artwork, influenced by the artist’s style. The first step was to plan the composition by putting together a collage of images of UAE architecture.

We will keep you updated on how the paintings turn out!

PE

This week in PE, students have continued to develop their athletics skills in preparation for Sports Day. Throughout this unit of work, students have developed their knowledge and understanding of how to perform a variety of activities including the shot put, javelin and discus throws, as well as the high jump and long jump.

Students have also enjoyed lessons that have focussed on the sprint relay and it has been excellent to see students demonstrating their teamwork skills to ensure their baton is passed safely around the track.

Year 8 students practicing their relay changeovers.

Year 8 students demonstrating their acrobatic ability while trying to master the 'Fosbury Flop' technique for the high jump.

Students demonstrate their knowledge of the required technique for the shot put throw by taking part in some peer coaching.

Year 7 students have developed their knowledge of the discus throw and were successful in their application of their knowledge.

Students have enjoyed the challenge of developing their relay, throwing and jumping skills during their PE lessons and we are incredibly excited for the students to showcase these skills and talents during Sports Day next week!

JAS Sport

This week we have seen ten of our secondary sports teams competing across the DASSA leagues! Our highlight of the week was seeing lots of our Year 8 and Year 9 girls represent the school for the very first time in netball! In light of international women's day, we are very proud to showcase all of the fantastic female talents we have here at JAS!

Let's hear it for the ladies!

Book Review for Younger Readers

An Alien in the Jam Factory

By Chrissie Sains

An Alien in the Jam Factory is written by Chrissie Sains. The book is about a boy named Scooter who creates secret inventions of different types of jam for his parents’ company, McLay’s Jam. He always wanted a pet, and one day, a small alien comes down from space to his lab. Scooter and the alien become great friends, however, there is an evil villain who tries to steal their jam recipes named Daffy Dodger and her sidekick Boris the guinea pig. They own a donut store next to the factory and they are always making up new ways of breaking in to steal the jam.

I really liked this book as it is very funny and nice to read. I also like the illustration and thought they were very creative and unique, it is suitable for 5+ however, I still really enjoyed reading this book a lot and thought it was suitable for older ages as well.

Reviewed by Isaac 9JS

If you are a keen reader and would like to write a review of a novel you have read, please submit an entry of around 150 words, including who you would recommend the novel for and we will feature it in The Junction!

We will be accepting reviews from year 5 and year 6 students and you can either email them to Mrs Horsham lhorsham@jebelalischool.org or Mrs Free vfree@jebelalischool.org.

Happy reading!

Online Safety

4.11th March - TikTok.pdf

JAS Nut-Free Policy

Over the last few days it has been noted that some students are bringing in nut related foods arriving in the form of lunches and snacks . We wanted to remind all of our parents that we are a completely nut-free school. We maintain this in order to protect both the children and staff with severe allergies to all kinds of nuts.

Please help us in providing a nut-free school and assisting those parents who have children who may have a life threatening reaction.

Thank you.

Looking Ahead

Monday 14 March Virtual Year 7 Parent Consultation Evening

Secondary Sports Day

Sports Day Introduction 2022.m4v

JAS Production Team

The JAS Production team is pleased to announce that tickets for the secondary production of 'Bugsy Malone' are now on sale!

Tickets can be purchased before school and lunchtimes (for students only) from the dedicated ticket desk outside the main reception.

Please note these are the only times you can purchase your tickets and first come, first served, so make sure you get yours as soon as possible! Tickets are AED40 - please be sure to bring the exact cash amount.

We look forward to seeing you at our FIRST EVER Secondary school production.

Article of Interest

Muslim Culture Awareness, Before and After Ramadan

The blessed month of fasting and the time to purify and train your body and soul. The month of Ramadan is around, we expect Saturday 2 April 2022 will be the first day of Ramadan. We are happy to present information on Ramadan which, we hope, will prove to be a useful source of knowledge for you.

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar. Healthy adult Muslims fast in Ramadan from dawn until dusk. This includes abstaining from drinking, eating,

immoral acts and anger. Other acts of worship such as prayer, reading the Quran and charity are also encouraged during the holy month.

Islam exempts the duty of fasting for pregnant or nursing women where there is reason to fear harm to the mother or child, prepubescent children, older people, those with a mental illness, the sick, and those with chronic illness if there is a medical concern that harm may occur. Should donate a meal to the needy instead or fast an equivalent number of days afterward.

The goal of fasting is to develop self-restraint.

Holy Quran states: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you may develop Taqwa (self- restraint)” [2:183]

Example: God says about Mary in the Qur’an that she said: “Verily! I have vowed a fast to the Most Beneficent “[Maryam 19:26].

Taqwa or self-restraint is the state of heart that motivates virtuous conduct and prevents evil action. Taqwa is the ability to safe-guard. Ramadan provides an annual training opportunity that is meant to fulfil the character-building needs for the rest of the year.

God has no need for the hunger and the thirst of the person who does not restrain from telling lies and acting on them even while observing fast.”

“When one of you is fasting, He should abstain from indecent acts and unnecessary talk, and if someone begins an obscene conversation or tries to pick an argument, he should simply tell him, ‘I am fasting.’” (Prophet Muhammad)

Benefits of Fasting:

Character-building is achieved
Fasting
Taqwa (Self-restraint)
Patience, Self-control, Self- Discipline, Responsibility, Obedience, Purification of soul, and Individual morality

Fasting is important during Ramadan as it allows Muslims to devote themselves to their faith and come closer to Allah, or God. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam Muslims fast as an act of worship and a way to become more compassionate to those in need.

Why Ramadan is so important?

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims believe that Ramadan teaches them to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, patience, social responsibility, obedience, purification of soul and empathy for those who are less fortunate, refrain from wasting food and drinks, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).

The month of the Revelation of the Qur'an

Muslims believe that in A.D. 610, the angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Quran, the Islamic holy book. That revelation, Laylat Al Qadar—or the “Night of Power” It is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month as a way to commemorate the revelation of the Quran. “The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction”- Holy Qur’an 2:185

Fasting is good for the human body for many reasons such as:

It gives vital organs a complete rest.
It promotes the elimination of metabolic wastes.
It allows the body to adjust and normalize its biochemistry and also its secretions.
It lets the body break down and absorb swellings, deposits, diseased tissues, and abnormal growths.
It restores a youthful condition to the cells and tissues.
It increases the powers of digestion and assimilation.
It permits the conservation and re-routing of energy; it clears and strengthens the mind.
It gives the body the environment to heal itself--physiologic rest.
It has also been used in cases of diabetes and obesity.
Abstinence from food for a short time can in no way operate to the disadvantage of a normal person.
In fact, individuals affected with certain types of gastrointestinal disorders are benefited by fasting.
It is a cleansing process and a physiologic or functional rest that prepares the body for future correct living.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Said: “Fast and you shall become healthy” stated 1400 years ago.

What is Eid and how do Muslims celebrate it?

The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, a month-long period of fasting and deep reflection. Translated from Arabic as “the feast of the breaking of the fast”.

Muslims celebrate Eid Al Fitr across the world by observing prayers, visiting friends and family, decorating their homes with lanterns, twinkling lights or flowers, sending cards, exchanging gifts and donating to charity is a major part of this celebration. On the day of Eid, Muslims are encouraged to forgive and seek forgiveness and say ‘Eid Mubarak!’ which means ‘Have a blessed Eid!’.

Ramadan Kareem

Understanding the Islamic significance of Shaaban, the month before Ramadan:

The month of Shaban precedes Ramadan and is the ideal time for Muslims to prepare for this blessed month, both physically and spiritually. Here are a few tips to help you out.

Reference and Links

Emirati families keep the 'sweet' Hag Al Laila tradition alive

Hasan Elewa

Islamic Education Teacher

Helpful Hints

Useful tips to help you learn computer programming

It seems like there’s always something new to learn in the world of computer programming. Regardless of where you are in your computer programming journey at JAS, going the extra mile will ensure you have all the knowledge you need to succeed.

Here are some tips to help you learn how to become a computer programmer faster and more efficiently.

1. Focus on the basics

Getting a good grasp of the programming basics is critically important to achieving long-term success. The information you learn at the beginning of your programming journey will allow you to grasp the logic of more complicated topics further along. If you don’t learn basic computer programming, you could fall behind in the future. Even if the fundamentals seem boring or unimportant at first, you need to recognise how essential it is to learn them.

2. Learn to ask for help

Knowing when to ask for help is a skill you’ll need throughout the course of your life, not just in programming. You won’t know everything, especially when you’re just starting out. The fastest and easiest way to gain the skills you need for programming is to ask your teacher, a parent or your friends. After you try to figure out the answer to your question on your own, be sure to ask someone else. Whether you do it in person or online, speaking to others and listening to what they have to say is critical when you are learning to become a computer programmer.

3. Take action

If you really want to learn how to code, you need to do more than just read the books and take some notes — you need to put the information you’re learning into action. You might be surprised at how something you read can seem so simple until you try to do it for yourself. Therefore, you should actually start coding as you’re learning. That way, you put the information to use immediately. When you learn by doing, the information will be more likely to stick with you.

4. Learn to program by hand

If you really want to succeed in computer programming, learning to code by hand is one of the most important skills you can learn. It will make you a better programmer because you’ll have to be plan out your programs using flowcharts and written descriptions. This results in an increased level of precision. Learning to code by hand doesn’t just improve your skills; it can also help you get a job in the future and jumpstart your coding career. Employers looking to hire computer programmers often require applicants to take a coding test that involves coding by hand. Therefore, it’s essential that you acquire this skill.

5. Check out helpful online resources

You can find countless sources of information on the internet on just about any topic. This information can be especially helpful when you are learning how to code. You should access free tutorials on YouTube or other streaming services and you can learn a lot about coding by just going online. One of the main benefits of learning this way is that you can find the answers you need in many different formats. Therefore, if one explanation doesn’t make sense to you, you can always find a different explanation elsewhere.

6. Know when to step away and take a break

Debugging can be one of the most frustrating processes when you are learning how to code. It can take hours to find a bug, and you can easily lose your sense of time when you are trying to fix the problem. This can lead you to feeling overwhelmed or stressed, so you need to learn when to step away from the bug and take a break. Try doing something you find enjoyable, like reading or exercising. Taking this step will allow you to clear your mind enough to go back to the bug with a renewed sense of focus.

7. Do more than just read the code

When you get your hands on some code, it’s easy to just read through it and think you have an understanding of what’s going on. But when you really want to become a computer programmer, you’re going to have to take this a step further. You should actually run the code and play around with it to figure out how it truly works. This is a much more effective way to learn than simply reading through the code. Remember, being able to read the code isn’t the same as understanding it.

Learning how to code is exciting and even a bit intimidating at first. But when you apply these tips, you’re going to get all the information and skills you need to become an excellent programmer. Remember that every programmer struggles a bit when they’re first starting out, and you shouldn’t expect anything different from yourself. It’s simply part of the learning process. But if you stick with it and practice, you’ll learn these skills faster than you ever thought possible.

Belong, Believe, Become. Better is always possible.

Claire Coyle

Head of Computer Science

Staff Profile

Scott Brown - Assistant Headteacher

Mr. Brown was one of the original JAS Secondary 'Dream Team', joining the school as Head of Maths in 2016. He originally trained as a lawyer, receiving his Bachelor of Law undergraduate from the University of Southampton in 2007. He worked in a London law firm in the Corporate Finance and Private Equity departments before switching to become a Teacher of Maths in 2010. He worked for three years in the UK as a Head of Year before moving to Dubai. For the last few years, Mr. Brown has worked at JAS as an Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for timetabling, reporting, data and assessment.

He believes that teaching and the ability to shape young people's lives is a privilege. Mr. Brown wants to develop students who can use Maths beyond their exams and can apply their skills to real-life situations. He hopes that his students can see the fun and beauty of Maths in his lessons. He is a strong advocate for data-driven intervention; using data analysis to identify learning trends and to identify elements of underperformance.

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Brown is a keen footballer and some of his proudest moments at JAS have been coaching the football teams. Two of the stand-out moments are the current Year 11s winning the Division 1 Championship at Dubai College in 2017 and the hard-fought 2-1 victory over DESC this year. He has completed 4 Ironman 70.3 triathlons and in his spare time enjoys surfing, Crossfit and kite-surfing. He has a four year old Spaniel called Loki, who he is currently training to become a school reading dog.

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