The Junction

Friday 24 February 2023

A Note From Mr Parnell

Stepping out of your Comfort Zone

I distinctly remember sitting in the assembly hall back in Secondary school watching the school talent show and thinking to myself ‘I wish I had the confidence to do that’. A timid boy named Andrew, a good friend of mine, had taught himself how to play guitar and put together a rock band with a few other students. He was positively glowing as the audience cheered and sang along to the chorus, like a scene from a movie! For Andrew, it was an incredible experience of personal growth that came as a result of the culmination of hours of practice, but also his ability to challenge himself to step outside of his comfort zone.

At JAS we have a wide range of opportunities for students to step outside of their comfort zone, but grabbing hold of them can be difficult. What holds people back most of the time is their frame of mind rather than any distinct lack of knowledge. The problem with staying in one's comfort zone, is that there is not much incentive for a person to reach new heights of performance. It is here that people go about routines devoid of risk, causing their progress to plateau. When we drum up the courage to leave our comfort zone, fear does not always equate to being in the panic zone. As the below diagram shows, fear can be a necessary step en route to the learning and growth zones:

In March I will get my chance to step outside of my comfort zone as Mr Bumble in the school production of Oliver. There are quite a few lines to learn and even a song or two! Needless to say, nervous would be a huge understatement but I know that if I can challenge myself the rewards will be huge. If I can break out of my comfort zone, push through the fear zone, I will enter the learning zone and hopefully experience the same feeling of personal achievement as Andrew.

So what can I do in preparation for this moment in order to step outside of my comfort zone?

Practice - I know that to break through the fear zone I will need to learn my lines and practice them so I become more confident in what I am doing.
Reframe stress - Physiologically, there’s no difference between anxiety and excitement. Both entail a ‘stress response,’ but whether they’re perceived as positive or negative is a matter of labeling. Society tends to conceptualize all stress as ‘bad,’ but the idea of ‘eustress’ or ‘positive stress’ challenges this. Eustress can have a positive impact on performance (Understanding Distress and Eustress)
Failure is a part of the journey - An essential step toward internalising the growth mindset is to embrace the fact that progress is not linear and failure itself becomes integral to the journey. At the core of Carol Dweck’s theory is that humans are malleable and adaptable (The power of believing that you can improve)
Seek Support - Asking for support and feedback from the people around me who have experience (our amazing music and drama students/teachers). I know I must remain open-minded and have the growth-mindset that everything can be a learning opportunity and I have the expertise around me.

So fingers crossed I will apply these principles and give it my best shot. I look forward to seeing you all at the Oliver production taking place Monday 20 March - Wednesday 22 March 2023. (tickets available from outside the main reception).

Mr Ben Parnell

Deputy Headteacher Care & Wellbeing - Secondary

Challenge is an essential part of developing oneself, particularly in the learning environment, Our teachers at JAS know that challenge.

Week in Review

Year 7

Year 7 have started this term by studying Live Theatre. Students will be exploring the different roles within the production, ‘Shrek The Musical’. This week we explored the role of the performer. Students had a go at performing some lines from a scene between Shrek and Donkey! We had a lot of fun with this one!

Year 10

Year 10 has had a busy week, starting with an assessment where they had to answer a 4,8 and 12 mark questions on an extract from Blood Brothers. They then moved swiftly on by starting to look at the final question in Section B of the written exam, the 20 mark question. Year 10 were pleased to finish the week with a practical lesson exploring the tension in a split scene within Blood Brothers. Students were assigned roles and Lexie did a brilliant job as our director!

Yesterday we announced the winners of our second annual JAS Photography Competition. We saw a fabulous range of entries depicting ‘Portraits of the UAE’ and were blown away by the quality of the work. Our guest judge, Emirati photographer Jassim Al Awadhi selected a Secondary Student Winner and Runner up from each house, as well as one each from our Staff and Parent entries. Well done to everyone who entered! The stunning photos are now on display in the JAS Art Gallery, beside the Secondary reception.

Winners

Water House Student: Cara Buchan

Earth House Student: Madeleine Taylor

Air House Student: Mimi Tahir

Fire House Student: Ruby Bennette

Staff: Shaz Hussey

Parent: Yuleima Fernandez

Runners up

Water House Student: Anna Thompson

Earth House Student: Hammaad Maniar

Air House Student: Ayesha Al Aidarous

Fire House Student: Eve Kerr

Staff: Ben Thompson

Parent: Dimple Hindocha

In our Sketching and Drawing ECA this week we worked on drawing white on black. The challenge was to press more lightly with the pencil for darker tones and harder with the pencil for lighter tones, the opposite of what we are used to doing with a pencil. Students worked through the challenge to produce a variety of beautiful drawings.

Secondary Production

Oliver! 2023 - Week 17 in Rehearsals

24 DAYS TO GO!

The pieces are swiftly moving together now as we began our first run through of linking all of the scenes and numbers together. This will take a total of 3 weeks to do and then it’s into the final stretch of intensive rehearsals.

At this point, it is vital that our wonderful performers look after themselves, eat well, stay hydrated and get their rest, as well as practice, practice, practice!

Tickets also went on sale this week and they are going fast! They will be available every Mononday-Thursday morning outside Main Reception. First come, first served for seat selection. Cash only. Congratulations to Mrs. Secker who was this year’s first ticket buyer and got dibs on the best seats in the house!!

A polite reminder that every rehearsal from this time onwards is of high importance in order to be able to prepare for the show. Please avoid any unnecessary absences or appointments and contact schoolproduction@jebelalischool to notify us if your child cannot make a rehearsal.

Additional Rehearsals

All Cast, Crew & Band members will be needed all day on the following:

Friday 10th March - Crew Only till 4pm*

Thursday 16th March (till 3.30pm)

Friday 17th March (till 4.30pm*)

Monday 20th March (DRESS REHEARSAL)

Please avoid booking appointments during the school day on these dates.

*Students attending Friday Prayer are able to leave but please notify us in advance.

Weekend Rehearsal dates:

Saturday 11th March - Band only

Sunday 12th March - All Cast and Crew

Sunday 19th March. - All Cast, Crew and Band (TECH/DRESS REHEARSAL)

*All weekend rehearsals will take place between 9.30am-4pm. Production T-shirts will need to be worn for ALL of the above dates. Students will need to bring a packed lunch, snacks and plenty of water. They will not be allowed off-site.

Attendance on the above dates is of high importance. If there is a reason as to why a cast/crew/band member is unable to make any of the above, please notify us as soon as possible via schoolproduction@jebelalischool.org

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)

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.

CAST Rehearsal Times

Monday 12.50pm-13.15pm

Wednesday 3.30pm-5.00pm

Thursday 06.50am-7.20am

Arabic

Y13 wrote in search of the relationship between men and women and the responsibilities of each of them towards each other and towards their children. They were happy to express their opinions after they read many different texts that help them form an opinion of their own.

Living in the Online World

Looking Ahead

International Day 2023

Get ready for Jebel Ali School’s International Day on the 15th of March! This is JAS parents’ chance to collaborate, help unite and celebrate all cultures and showcase our JAS value of inclusivity.

Dubai is well known for its diversity - home to a range of identities, and the JAS community has students from over 60 different nationalities! We plan for International Day to be an opportunity to embrace the diversity of Jebel Ali School, enhance school-to-parent connections, and most of all, allow students to share and learn more about their peers’ ethnicities.

We plan to expand International Day to include more activities such as a flag parade, international day-themed lessons, competitive sports games, and more!

Especially, we encourage parents and students to represent their countries by taking part in stalls that students will have the chance to explore throughout the day and learn more about the world.

We are certain that International Day will be both enjoyable and educational for all students!

If you are interested in participating in the JAS International Day, whether to represent your country or show your support for others, please fill in the google form here.

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

JAS PTA

Helpful Hints

Design and technology is a subject that involves a combination of creative thinking, problem-solving skills, and technical knowledge. Here are some hints and tips to help you excel in this subject.

Learn the basics: Before you can tackle complex design challenges, it’s important to have a good understanding of the basic principles of design and technology. This includes learning about materials, tools, and techniques, as well as basic design principles such as form, function, and aesthetics. Take the time to learn these fundamentals, and you will be better equipped to tackle more advanced challenges.
Practice, practice, practice: design and dechnology is a practical subject, and the best way to get better is to practice as much as possible. Try to work on different projects, experiment with different materials and techniques, and learn from your mistakes. By practicing, you will develop your skills and gain confidence in your abilities.
Embrace technology: Technology is an essential part of modern design and technology, so it’s important to embrace it and learn how to use it effectively. This includes using computer-aided design (CAD) software, 3D printing, and other digital tools that can help you create and prototype your designs. By becoming proficient in these technologies, you will be better equipped to succeed in your future career.
Take inspiration from real-world examples: Design and technology is all about solving real-world problems, so it’s important to take inspiration from real-world examples. Look at products and systems that exist in the world today and try to understand how they work, what problems they solve, and how they were designed. By doing this, you will develop a deeper understanding of the design process and be better able to apply it to your own work.

In conclusion, design and technology is an exciting and dynamic subject that offers a range of practical skills and knowledge that can be applied to future careers. By following these hints and tips, you can excel in this subject and become a skilled designer and problem solver.

Mr Ritucci

Design & Technology Teacher

Article of Interest

How to imbed inclusivity

In recent times, inclusivity has become somewhat of a buzzword within schools, businesses, and organisations alike. It is something that all organisations now aspire to achieve to ensure that all those involved in the organisation have equal opportunity to grow, learn and develop. Although organisations aspire to be inclusive, this does not necessarily mean that they are successful. In order to embed inclusivity within a community, such as our school, there are four key elements that must be considered.

Learn Your Blind Spots

We all have unconscious biases, or autopilot behaviour, which guides our mindset and actions. We need to work to uncover these blind spots so that we gain the power to choose how we interact and operate in a more deliberate, conscious, and inclusive manner. When it comes to inclusivity, self-awareness is critical. This is because we do not want to unwittingly advantage someone due to our implicit bias. The more that individuals within an organisation become aware of their implicit bias, the more knowledge they have of how to disrupt their habitual ways of thinking when making decisions.

Keep Inclusion on the Agenda

As well as being open about our biases and how to overcome them, organisations need to ensure that inclusion is important to all members of their community. Ultimately, being inclusive helps everyone because it opens everyone up to new ideas and helps people to think differently. Inclusivity is something that must always be high on the agenda of an organisation so that there is a sustained effort to break down walls and barriers that hold people back.

Study the Data

When driving change, it is important to know what change is required and, more importantly, why it is required. Before updating policies and implementing change, the current policies and how they impact people need to be studied. This is so that newer, updated policies are more likely to have the desired impact. It is important to question the logic of previous policies to identify areas for improvement leading to long-term success.

Set Clear Standards and Expectations

To truly embed inclusivity within a school, there needs to be clear processes, standards and expectations of all people within the school. All stakeholders must be held to the same criteria which is tailored to specific objectives. Objective criteria help all involved since they know implicitly what is expected of them. When clear expectations and standards are set, there is accountability linked to meeting the standards and expectations. This accountability keeps the community as a whole moving forward toward their overall goal of inclusivity.

Inclusion for us at JAS is about welcoming, developing, and advancing the diverse mix of students that we have within our community. We endeavour to ensure that all people feel valued, heard, and respected, changing practices where necessary to ensure that this is a reality for the students, parents, and staff who make up our school. Through our inclusivity, we aim to empower everyone to believe that they have the opportunity to make a positive impact on our school community and beyond.

Ms Bullock

Head of Year 10 and PE Teacher

Staff Profile

Ben Thompson - Teacher of Geography and Options and Aspirations Advisor

Ben joined JAS in September 2021 having worked in schools in both the UK and the UAE. Ben read geography at Leicester University, earning his BA in Geography and went on to complete his PGCE at the University of Cambridge.

As a JAS parent to two girls, one in Year 4 and the other in Year 5, who both joined in September 2020, Ben has been very impressed with the warmth and caring that JAS embodies.

Outside of school, Ben used to play basketball to a high standard but now enjoys a more leisurely game of golf. Additionally he loves to travel, hike and keep fit in the gym.

Ben’s Jas values are two fold, growth mindedness and kindness. Kindness because it really does cost nothing and brings multiple benefits to everyone and growth mindedness because providing students with the knowledge and skills to be the architects of their own success goes to the heart of effective teaching.

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