The Junction

Friday 25 November 2022

A Note From Mr Brown

Talent vs Hard Work

The World Cup began in Qatar this week with some noticeable absentees. European Champions Italy not qualifying, along with Norway and international superstar Erling Haaland. A mid season tournament had led to a raft of injuries with global superstars watching from the stands. As I watched some of the build up to the game, focus returned to two of the old heads: ‘the supreme talents of their generation’, Ronaldo and Messi. Something about the description did not sit right with me, as there is a lot more to these two players than “talent” alone.

To understand my dislike of this description, first we should look at the definition of the word talent.

a special natural ability or aptitude
a capacity for achievement or success

Talent is something that you either have or you have not. Talent is natural or a capacity that cannot be surpassed. I am very happy to celebrate the achievements and success of these two phenomenal athletes, but to call them talented undermines the incredible levels or hard work, determination and resilience they have had to show to reach such substantial heights. Both players left home at a young age. Messi at 13 was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency that needed immediate treatment. Ronaldo at 14 was nicknamed the ‘crybaby’ by his footballing friends, who did not realise his father was struggling with alcohol addiction and cleaning the locker room at the club to earn extra money to support his son. Neither had an easy journey to the top.

Messi and Ronaldo may have had the natural attributes that led them to become great football players, but neither of them were born (as my Year 9 football team tell me) the GOAT. Thousands and thousands of hours of practice, analysis, training and gym work took them to the peak of the game. For every Lionel and Cristiano there are thousands of talented players that never made it to the top of the game, so what is it that made these two so successful?

Educational researcher, Angela Duckworth, argues that one of the key identifiers for potential success is grit. Duckworth found that grit matters more for reaching full potential than intelligence, skill, or even grades. The book GRIT goes into this in detail, and fortunately she also did a fantastic TED Talk on the subject which can be found below.

Grit is a personality trait that is similar to resilience/perserverance and requires a growth mindset. It helps you keep working toward long-term goals, despite setbacks or failures. People with grit keep working to get better at something, even when challenges or obstacles get in their way. Without practice and effort, talent in isolation is limited. You can develop your ability, using grit to get stronger and better at something, when you work long and hard at it.

Grit is not just for the World Cup, you will find it in music, business and academia - anywhere that you find success. It is something that we should be using in our every day lives, especially in school. It is something that we can develop and learn over time, rather than something we either do or do not have.

To develop grit you must first set yourself a goal that you are willing to commit to over time. Ensure that your targets are SMART.

● Specific

● Measurable

● Attainable

● Realistic

● Time specific

Now you need to convince yourself that you can achieve your goal. It will be hard. It will need discipline, self control and will push you to new challenges. When you want to give up you will need to push on and show resilience to bounce back. When you face a setback you will need to persevere and realise that you will not get instant results.

How could you show grit?

You could show grit by committing to a revision program for your examinations, setting aside 30 minutes every day for targeted revision.

You could show grit by committing to improving your fitness by completing 30 minutes of exercise every day for a month. (Dubai 30x30 fitness is great way to kick start this)

If you can think of a time you set a goal, and persevered through a challenge to reach the goal, then that was a time you were building your grit. Success does not happen overnight, it is small daily gains accumulated over time.

To finish on our football theme, I will quote one of the greatest managers of the modern era:

“Hard work will always overcome natural talent when natural talent does not work hard enough.”

Sir Alex Ferguson

Nut Free School

A polite reminder that JAS is a nut-free school. Please ensure all food brought into school is nut free as we have several students on site with nut allergies. Thank you for your help and support with this.

Mr Scott Brown

Deputy Head of Secondary

Week in Review

Sixth Form Open Evening

On Tuesday evening Year 11 students were invited to our Sixth Form Open Evening to start considering their subject choices for their studies at Key Stage 5. The Drama studio was set up so students could explore the subjects we will be offering next year; A Level Drama and Theatre and BTEC Production Arts. We really enjoyed speaking to prospective students about these qualifications and the exciting opportunities available to them next year! A big thank you to Amberley in Year 8 who operated our stage lights - she is a technical whizz!

Didn’t manage to catch us? Feel free to pop into the Drama Office with any questions, or take a look at our presentation information:

BTEC Production Arts

A Level Drama and Theatre

Five reasons to study creative subjects

1. The arts make self starters and develop emotional intelligence

These require the student to set their own agenda from within themselves, rather than follow set topics as in other subjects. They have to make independent decisions all the way, and be self-critical. They also need to be brave in exposing their creations, and accept criticism. Working in teams makes students into good communicators.

2. The Arts are stretching

Music, Art and Drama require long hours of hard work and dedication. Students have to pay great attention to detail to perfect and redo. Putting on a play, exhibition or concert takes strong organisational skills.

3. Arts students are highly sought-after by employers

Many employers now actively seek those who have studied the Arts. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was fond of saying his success was due to his hiring artists and musicians fascinated by technology rather than computer geeks. Top talent management agency, The Curve Group, specialising in financial and business services, concurs: “Employees with an arts degree have developed more quickly in their roles from the start. They have discipline, confidence and can accept criticism.”

4. Arts ‘reach the parts other subjects can’t reach’

The Arts develop the broader dimensions of the human being – mind, body and soul. The Arts can express the inexpressible and make sense of things that otherwise do not seem to. This can be very fulfilling and helps us function as human beings – which can only be good for society as a whole.

5. Arts ‘reach the students other subjects can’t reach’

Teachers find Arts subjects particularly beneficial for two groups: those who struggle with traditional subjects and those who are high achieving. Less academic students can become defeatist if they feel they can’t achieve. Drama, Music or Art can be the place they blossom. With studious students, the Arts can bring them out of themselves and be a release.

Year 10

Our students in Year 10 have continued to work on Section A of the written exam. This week students explored the role of the Set Designer. Students created a set design for a scene of their choice from Blood Brothers. Below is an example from Issy Bonass.

Secondary Production - Oliver!

Oliver! 2023 - Week 10 in Rehearsals

We can’t quite believe we’ve hit double digits in rehearsal weeks! With only two more weeks to go of Term 1, we will be doing a recap of ALL scens and numbers covered - which is 50% of the show! Corr, we ‘ave been busy! So be sure to recap your choreography and lines before next week!

Next week is also an exciting time as we are getting measured up for costumes and our cast T-shirt will be arriving shortly!

My Movie 4.mov

A reminder that production rehearsals will continue until the last week of Term.

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

In Art, Year 9 art students have been building their giant food sculptures using card and paper mache. The sculptures are based on the work of sculptors Claes Oldenburg, Robin Antar and Peter Anton. The next step will be to paint with acrylic paint for a realistic finish.

Library

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. In this book, two of the living tributes from each district have to go and compete back in the Hunger Games. The main genres of Catching Fire are dystopia, romance and adventure. Within these genres the book explores the topics of love, alliance, betrayal, survival and loss. From the various plot twists and the fascinating characters this book was a page-turner that had me gripped to the plot. One of the many reasons why I thoroughly enjoyed this book is because it explored many different topics and issues which can be related to current, real life problems and it made it so interesting to read. I would recommend Catching Fire for people aged 11 and over. When reading this keep in mind some scenes are fairly gruesome and in specific chapters it can be quite graphic.

Suraya 8CCO

JAS Secondary Sport

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

Gymnastics

JAS took part in the first ever DASSA Gymnastics festival last week, where the team was represented across all levels of the competition, from beginner to advanced. We are very proud to announce that the following medals were awarded,

Grace Y7 - Gold medal vault and Silver medal overall (Level 2)

Ava Y7 - Silver medal floor and Bronze medal overall (Level 2)

Sofi Y7 - Bronze medal vault and Bronze overall (Level 4)

Congratulations to all the students who took part.

What’s On - JAS Secondary Sport - WC 28 November

JAS PE

It’s been another busy week in PE with students beginning their Sports Day preparations by selecting their relay teams and high jump athletes ready for the big day on the 6th December. We’re all really excited for a day full of sport!

Alongside this, Key Stage 4 have continued with their curriculum lessons with Year 11 students heading to the Damac Community Park to develop their volleyball skills further. It has been brilliant to see the students transferring the skills that they have learnt at school to the sand volleyball courts with such success. While at school, students in Year 11 have been continuing their rounders and cricket units of work, and have enjoyed developing their skills in competitive situations.

Year 10 have also continued with their units of work covering netball and rugby. They have been working hard to develop their skills further and apply these to competitive situations. It is wonderful to see how much they are progressing through their focus and commitment to lesson activities.

VIDEO-2022-11-23-13-00-33.mp4

VIDEO-2022-11-23-13-00-35.mp4

Dubai Fitness Challenge

As the end of our final week of the 30x30 Challenge approaches, our JAS students thrived and flourished. We, as House Leaders, have been so impressed with the skill and pride these students have come to us with, ready to complete each challenge to a high standard.

Netball was our challenge this week. Laughter and smiles could be seen and heard from miles away. This was our biggest turnout yet! The students were vibrant and energetic, whilst being respectful to each other, representing our JAS Value of Kindness. Although we have had a very successful month of activities, we wanted to put the spotlight on the notion that it is ok if things don’t go your way. This is the final message we want to send as we finish the Dubai 30x30 Challenge.

Resilience. If we fail we need to try, try, try and try again. Feed your mind ideas of success, not failure. Remember, the only way you can fail is if you give up. Every time you fail, you come one step closer to success. You are not scared; you are courageous. You are not weak; you are powerful. You are not ordinary; you are remarkable. You are meant to do great things. Following your dreams can be both terrifying and exciting. Courage is facing fear. Fear of failure holds most people back and you are not like most people. Persist and persuade others about your plans, as they are real.

Most people master the obvious; you create something that wasn't there before. It's bold, it's creative, and it's you. Give it your best, and your dreams will come to fruition. Success is yours. Go for your dreams; it is your turn.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Dubai 30x30 Challenge House Competition this year.

The Top 5 from Secondary are…

Inaaya earth 12

Katie earth 9

Sofia fire 7

Jaime earth 7

Sophia air 6

Thank you all for your support and help with the 30x30 challenge,

Your Heads Of House

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.

Helpful Hints

Helpful Hints - Preparing for Assessments

Here are my top five tips for successful assessment preparation

Plan for your assessments:

To successfully plan for you assessments, you need to know:

when the assessment is taking place
what the form of the assessment is (multiple choice, essay, online, calculation, non-calculator etc)
what content the assessment covers
the length of the assessment and the mark allocation

Knowing this helps you to mentally prepare for the assessment and remove uncertainties which could cause stress. All of this information is normally posted on Google Classroom. If not, ask your teacher.

Plan revision time - decide how long you expect your revision to take and schedule time in your diary.

2. Collect your resources together:

Look at your notebook, textbook, Google Classroom - ensure the resources you are planning to use are available and up-to-date.

3. Learning is an ACTIVE process:

There are a number of different techniques that you may use to assist you with your revision but remember, you need to learn actively:

make notes
create flashcards
create mind-maps
complete revision worksheets
have a revision buddy and test each other

Using both visual and text (dual coding) has been shown to help with retention of information. Make your notes colourful with diagrams and pictures.

4. Learning is an ITERATIVE proces - start with what you know:

Use spaced practice for revision rather than trying to cram everything the night before the assessment - spaced practice refers to the practice of practising a skill or retrieval of knowledge a little bit at a time, over a period of time.

Start your revision by writing down everything you already know about the topic without looking at your material. See what you have remembered from class. This is called retrieval practice and it helps you to create a baseline of your knowledge on which to build.

Once you have a baseline, refer to your resources and slowly start filling in the gaps. For each iteration, start again with what you know.

5. After your assessment, review your revision process:

Each cycle of assessments gives us a new opportunity to hone our revision skills. After your assessment, look at what went well and what possibly needs improvement. Be honest with yourself - did you plan enough time, were you prepared with your revision material, did you actively learn or just read through your notes? We all learn differently and respond differently to the stresses and pressures of assessments, critically evaluating how we have have done helps us to learn from each experience and prepare better for the next cycle.

Rhonwen Scott

Inclusion Teacher

Article of Interest

Learn: The Growth Mindset

A professor at Stanford has developed the idea of growth mindset and fixed mindset.

This researcher’s name is Carol Dweck. She has challenged the common belief that intelligent people are born smart. Instead, this is what she found:

https://youtu.be/wh0OS4MrN3E

Let’s breakdown what Carol Dweck said in the video.

The growth mindset is the belief that you can grow your brain and that your intelligence grows with effort.

“The growth mindset allows people to value what they’re doing regardless of the outcome.”

A fixed mindset is the belief that you are born a certain way and cannot change.

“In the fixed mindset, everything is about the outcome. If you fail—or if you’re not the best—it’s all been wasted.”

Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset

Singer and songwriter John Legend has a strong growth mindset.

https://youtu.be/wh0OS4MrN3E

Which voice will you hear?

It’s normal to have both a fixed mindset and a growth mindset talking to us and competing for our attention.

Sometimes we listen to our growth mindset. We say to ourselves, “You can do this!” and think, “I’m not giving up!”

Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset

Other times, our fixed mindset shows up. It might be triggered by a mistake, a failure, or criticism from someone.

Our fixed mindset voice says things like, “I'll never be good at this.”

How do we start to challenge our fixed mindset voice so that we can adopt a growth mindset?

We can use both our language and our actions!

We can use our language.

We can use our language to combat the negative self talk that comes with a fixed mindset.

1. The power of yet: Add yet at the end of your fixed mindset statements.

Example: “I can’t do this.” → “I can’t do this YET!”

2. Say stop: When your fixed mindset voice is getting out of hand, tell yourself to stop and clear your mind before continuing.

3. You instead of I: It’s easier to pump yourself up and give yourself crucial advice using the word you instead of I.

Example: "I got this." → "YOU got this!"

We can use our actions!

We can also use our actions to conquer the fixed mindset when it shows up.

1. Ask for help. Let your teacher know that you are struggling so that they can put you back on the right path.

Ask for help.

2. Make a study group. Talk and work together with different study strategies.

Study group

3. Revisit your mistakes. Look at your mistakes, and review what you did wrong. This will help you avoid making the same mistake again later.

Revisit your mistakes.

Sattawat Sonsin

Head of Year 11 and Mathematics Teacher

Student Focus/Highlight

Amelia in Year 7 represented her club Aspire Gymnastics and participated this weekend at the Fly High Gymnastics Competition and took 1st on Floor, 3rd on Beam and 3rd All Around in her age group.

The JAS Sports Spotlight is proudly on Tessa in Year 11. Tessa has been training with the U17 UAE Netball team for the past 6-8 months. She has recently represented the UAE in Gibraltar on the squad for the European Championships, which is an incredible achievement! We are thrilled that Tessa’s endless determination and dedication to the sport has resulted in her selection for the national squad, and we asked Tessa to share her inspiring journey to this pivotal point.

How old were you when you started playing netball?

I started playing netball when I was 8 years old, it was in Year 3 here at JAS, and I’ve been playing for the last nine years!

What position do you play?

I used to be a Goal Shooter but later on switched to Goal Defence/Goalkeeper.

What do you love about the sport?

I love the competitiveness, the adrenaline and the teamwork that's involved in playing netball.

What challenges or obstacles have you had to face?

It's been challenging to balance my time with doing the other sports that I like as well. The biggest obstacle for me has been overcoming an injury when I was out of training for eight weeks.

What are you most excited about?

I'm really excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and where the national team will take me in the future.

What do you want to achieve?

I want to inspire other people, to show others that netball requires resilience and dedication and that working hard towards your passion can get you far.

Miss Channon, JAS Director of Sport, “We are extremely proud of Tessa and all of her achievements so far. It has been a pleasure to see her develop over the years, and we look forward to seeing what's to come. We hope this inspires all of the Year 3 netballers who started representing JAS this year to keep working hard and enjoying their sport as it opens up many opportunities for the future!”

On Tuesday, Bethany in Year 11 went to the Dubai Schools Games archery competition.

She was in the 15’s and under age group and shot 60 arrows for a score of 421. That put her in 1st place for the bare bow recurve category and 2nd place overall for her age, only 20 points behind the winner.

Given she only started archery lessons in September, having never shot seriously before, that’s an impressive result.

Big shout out to coach Patric Halforty of ISM Sports who has done a great job in training her, but Beth’s dedication to her new sport has really paid off.

Star of the Week

My Jebel Ali Star of the week consistently goes above and beyond and is always happy to help solve problems that arise. Last week she showed kindness and excellence by efficiently helping me with a large amount of parent communication, which ran through the weekend.

My Jebel Ali Star of the week is..... Georgie Brooks.

Charlotte Baker

Head of Mathematics

Staff Profile

Luke Murdoch - Economics and Business Teacher

A relatively new expat in Dubai, this is Luke’s third year in ‘paradise’. Originally from Newport, South Wales. He completed his BA in Business and Economics, and MSc International Management at the University of South Wales, Newport and his PGCE at Cardiff University. During work experience on his master’s program in China, Luke found a passion for teaching when he embarked on a placement helping young students learn English. Since then, he has not turned back and knew teaching was the best fit for him. Beginning his teaching career in Cirencester College, Luke has had the privilege of working with young people in several different institutions in England and Wales before making the move to Dubai in 2020. Taking the position of Head of Economics and Business at EIS Jumeirah, teaching IB, before jumping at the chance to experience the JAS magic at Jebel Ali School in September 2022.

Outside of his passion for teaching Economics and business, Luke loves rugby, hiking and of course travelling. Luke occasionally plays for Dubai Sharks, (injury pending). Rugby is a big passion of his, and he is looking forward to lending a hand where possible with the sports teams.

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