The Junction

Friday 30 September 2022

A Note From Ms Davies

In praise of the glory of the humble teenager as “hero”

This week’s Junction leads with a question many parents ask themselves, at least once, when their children hit those “problematic years”. Why would anyone remotely coherent and sane choose to work in a school, especially one with teenagers?

Schools are marvellous places; altruistic organisations where young minds are developed and children explore their philosophical outlook on life, the world and everything in between. Pragmatically, they are establishments where parents send children to be cared for while they work. Cynics say they are a place to send children so that parents can achieve some peace and quiet.

Nelson Mandela praised education as:

“The most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Mandela recognised that schools help young people to learn life’s necessities: how to read and write, how to communicate effectively, how to make friends and settle disputes and play sports, act, sing, learn an instrument, pass exams, make jokes, share adventures and develop kindness, resilience and determination. Mandela also recognised education as a tool for the empowerment of young people.

Einstein was more critical of schools:

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”

Does school make education more of a challenge? Arguably it does. Schools are full of teenagers; teenagers experiencing growth spurts, hormonal surges and huge developmental changes: physical, cognitive and emotional.

The teenage years are notorious for impulsive behaviour, recklessness, disobedience, subversive rebellion, strange clothing choices, dyed hair or long hair or shaved hair or a combination of all three. Monotone answers (if given at all), excessive sleep, shouting, defiance, a loathing of authority and a desire for irresponsibility. Teenagers are the anti-heroes of developmental phases, as bad as the infamous “terrible twos.”

Which brings us back to the question: Why would anyone remotely coherent and sane choose to work in a school, with teenagers?

A recent British YouGov survey asked almost 1000 teachers to cite the reasons why they worked in the profession. The top reason? 83% of teachers said seeing pupils develop and achieve. What is all the more astounding about this figure is that teenagers are not renowned for their good judgement, sensible decision making or respectful love of authority. They are not renowned for heroism. And yet, as teachers we love our jobs, we strive for our best to honour young people’s decisions and support them in their learning, support them on their hero’s journeys.

Since Einstein’s school days, educationalists have become more aware of the cognitive developments in young brains. We know that the rational part of a teenager’s brain is not fully developed, and won’t be until the age of 25. Teenage brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part, the part that responds to situations with good judgement and an awareness of long-term consequences. Unlike adults, teenagers process information with the amygdala, the emotional part of the brain.

Teenager’s brains are still developing the connections between the emotional and the decision-making centre. They often experience overwhelming emotional inputs which they find difficult to explain because their feelings are more powerful than the rational aspects of their brains. This can lead to shouting with frustration, denying homework ever existed in the first place and hating everyone, everywhere, all of the time.

A teenager’s brain also becomes more able to think abstractly. They can make plans and set long-term goals, they can develop an interest in the larger world, concerned with philosophy, politics, and social issues. Teenagers see the potential for independence and control, and, conversely, peer influence and acceptance becomes more important; they compare themselves to their peers. This can lead to insecurity, joy and anger - sometimes all at the same time.

The teenage years are also a period of growth spurts and puberty. Teenagers grow at a fast pace and their bodies go through changes which can feel overwhelming, frustrating and sometimes frightening. They can be more like gawky, clumsy spiders than graceful, heroic athletes or dancers.

So we ask again, why would anyone remotely coherent and sane choose to work in a school, with teenagers?

The response to the question, for me, is that it can feel quite magical to work in a school and just observe, over the course of a year or years, as these teenagers become young people. It feels magical to watch teenagers’ brains develop as they discover the breadth and beauty of the world, as they create opinions and battle their impulsivity and make mistakes and learn from their experiences. At the end of this piece is a link to a poem which encapsulates the celebration of life as a teacher and the joys of working with young people every day.

It is extraordinary and magical, as a teacher, to be a part of young people’s lives at this stage of their development. Being a teenager takes immense courage and energy, every single day, to face GCSE exams and A levels, to negotiate friendships and expectations and depths of feelings which seem inexplicable. Teenagers walk their paths every day with hope and joy and sometimes fear, yet journey on with energy and resilience. We are privileged to see those children emerge from the chrysalis of their teenage years and become young adults. We teach in schools, with teenagers, because it is an everyday miracle, to experience the glory of the humble teenager as they walk their hero’s journey.

https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/poem/it-is-everywhere/

Sian Davies - Assistant Headteacher Sixth Form and English Literature Teacher

Week in Review

YEAR 7

Year 7 students have been working on the very important skill of improvisation. They have been looking at the difference between spontaneous and polished improvisation. The temptation to laugh or come out of character whilst doing improvisation is very hard to resist! You can see Zoha and Sofi in Year 7 attempting a spontaneous improvisation of ‘The World’s Worst Hairdresser’.

YEAR 8

Year 8 have been preparing for their silent movie assessment. Students have been asked to create a short film in the style of a silent movie. The film must include stock characters, melodramatic acting style, good vs evil plot line, placards and music. Students will plan, rehearse, film and then edit their final movie. This week, students have been planning their storylines and characters to begin rehearsing next week.

YEAR 9

Continuing their work on the play ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell, the students were exploring what the education was like for the twins in the 1960’s. Edward was brought up to have a private education in a boarding school in England, whilst Mickey attended a ‘Secondary Modern’ school in a deprived area of Liverpool. To explore the contrast in the educational settings in this scene, students used the dramatic convention cross-cutting. This is where two or more scene switch back and forth between locations. See Year 9 rehearsing the scenes below.

YEAR 10

Physical theatre is a style of theatre that takes a lot of focus and commitment. The use of physical movements are used to express narrative and relationships and doesn’t focus as much on the spoken word. Year 10 have been looking at techniques from the theatre company ‘Frantic Assembly’. ‘Frantic Assembly’ are a physical theatre company based in the UK who’s work is world renowned and they are one of the leading theatre practitioners in the physical theatre style. Students have looked specifically at three techniques; Chair Duets, Hymns Hands and Round by Through. All these techniques are used by the company themselves when they are creating material for their shows. Below are videos of the students having a go at creating their own chair duets.

Bianca/Issy/Freya.mov

Elliott/Kaustubh.MOV

Lexie/Connie.MOV

YEAR 11

Year 11 students are currently working on Component 2: Devising Drama worth 40% of their overall GCSE.

Year 11s focus this week was on providing high-quality feedback in order to support each other in their devising process. It was a wonderful lesson in which the sharing of ideas was celebrated and supported with positivity and constructive feedback in order to identify areas for development. Every single student contributed to the discussion effectively.

Secondary Production - Oliver!

Oliver! 2023 - Week 3 in Rehearsals

Taking the focus this week is our wonderful production band! These guys are working incredibly hard behind the scenes, rehearsing twice a week to learn a whopping 51 SONGS over the next 6 months ready for the show!

Ranging from Year 7-Year 11 (and including our very own Mrs. Osman), the time, dedication and commitment they put in to making the music of the show is nothing short of phenomenal. There are pupils are returning to our production band for their second show, some who are playing unfamiliar instruments, and some even posing as bassoons!!top

A huge shout out to our much loved M.D, Mr. Laird!

Copy of IMG_6529.MP4.mov

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.

Rehearsal Times

Monday 12.50pm-13.15pm

Wednesday 3.30pm-5.00pm

Thursday 06.50am-7.20am

This week in the JAS Art Department, our Photography GCSE students have been setting up their own shoots focusing on Aperture. The task was to adjust the manual camera settings to show some objects in the photo in focus and some out of focus, while making sure that the photo is correctly exposed (not too dark or light).

Our Felt Painting ECA students are working hard on their artwork. Some students have moved on to adding embroidered elements, while others are concentrating on capturing finer details using the felt. Such beautiful, vibrant pieces!

English

Year 7 English students enjoying their first reading session with Loki this week.

Students who didn't get a chance to participate this time will be first on the list next time!

Year 8 have been working on their JAS Reads projects this week, reading their novels and working in groups to come up with ideas for their presentations! We are really looking forward to seeing what creative methods you come up with to present the themes, ideas, scenes and characters within your novels!

In support of our strive to improve reading across JAS, our students have been undertaking independent reading in our JAS READS reading programme. This involves students choosing suitable reading books that cover a range of themes, whilst completing a multitude of tasks: Guiding questions, Written/Oral book reviews, Film Trailers, Book Boxes, Sound tracks and much more.

In preparation for their first English language coursework piece of writing, Year 10 students competed in a 'Language Race' where they had to use their skills and knowledge of descriptive writing devices to race around different 'stations' describing images of natural disasters. Well done to Advait who passed the finish line first!

IMG_3412.MOV

Computer Science

A network is two or more computers - or other electronic devices - that are connected together for the purpose of communication. They are connected by a wired medium such as cables, or by a wireless medium such as Wi-Fi.

In Computer Science this week, Year 11 students have been investigating the different types of network topologies and they have been thinking about how devices on a network can exchange data and share resources with each other. They will also get the opportunity to visit the server room at JAS and they can see first hand how the amazing IT team manages and runs our school network.

Spanish

Year 12 Spanish have been looking at the roots of different Spanish and Hispanic festivals this week and prepared speaking presentations to share their findings. Kyan & Kate spoke about ‘La Tomatina’ and Gonzalo and Yanis looked at ‘San Juan’. Each group spoke about the origin, as well as what the festival consisted of, where it came from and then discussed if there was a similar festival in their own country.

JAS Secondary Sport

JAS Secondary Sport

We are extremely excited to kick start our secondary sporting fixtures next week. Please see some key documents and information below:

Team Kit process

We would also like to inform/remind you about our team kit process. Team Kit is used for any students representing a team at JAS. This is not the same as a PE Kit. We are very fortunate to have had sponsors in previous years which means that we are able to loan tops to the students over the course of the fixture season. However, some team kit items will need to be purchased if your child is selected to represent a school team.

How to order team kits

Any items purchased will be delivered the next working day. Please ensure you leave enough time to order the required items before the fixture takes place. If any items are out of stock then please just bring your own replacement e.g football socks. We will update you when the new stock arrives.

How will I know if my child/children have been selected for a sports fixture?

If you child/children have been selected for a fixture, this will come up in the calendar section of your parent log in portal on SOCS. Once you have seen the fixture you will need to confirm your child/children’s attendance by ticking the team sheet on the PE notice boards.

Transportation

We are pleased to announce that we will be using buses for our sports fixtures this year. Please note that these may not be in place for every fixture; further information will follow regarding the policies and procedures.

What’s On - JAS Secondary Sport

JAS Secondary Sport - WC 26 Sep

This week we took part in our first secondary swimming time trial of the academic year. The gala was hosted at JAS with 3 other schools. The format of this gala was to run a time trial for all schools to inform the new DASSA leagues. We look forward to competing in our first traditional gala next Thursday.

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

How to create an excellent observational drawing: 11 Tips for Students

Observational drawing is an integral component of many Art courses, including GCSE and A Level Art. Often, drawing is the core method of researching, investigating, developing and communicating ideas. While it is accepted that there are many wondrous types of drawings – and that non-representational drawing methods have an important role in student Art projects – it is usually advantageous to demonstrate competent, realistic observational drawing skills to the examiner (particularly in the early stage of a project).

What follows is a list of tips that have been written specifically for secondary school art students who are looking to improve the realism of their observational drawings.

Tip 1: Look at what you are drawing

Failing to look at what you are drawing is one of the most fundamental errors an Art student can make.

This sounds obvious, but it is the most common error made by art students. Many students attempt to draw things the way that they think they should look, rather than the way they actually do look.

The only way to record shape, proportion and detail accurately is to look at the source of information. Human memory does not suffice. Forms, shadows and details are hard enough to replicate when they are right there in front of you; if you have to make them up, they appear even less convincing. In order to produce an outstanding observational drawing, you must observe: your eyes must continually dance from the piece of paper to the object and back again. Not just once or twice, but constantly.

Note: even if you pursue a theme about mythical creatures, fairy tales or some other imaginary form, you should work as much as possible from observation. Piece your creatures together from fragments of life. Dress people up and then draw them or merge different parts of insects or creatures together (using artistic license as appropriate) rather than creating an entire form or scene from your head.

Tip 2: Draw from real objects whenever possible

Drawing from observation: forks tied with string. This superb observational drawing exercise is one set by artist and teacher Julie Douglas.

The phrase ‘observational drawing’ typically implies drawing from life (see the superb observational drawing exercise set by artist and teacher Julie Douglas). Ask any art teacher and they will list the benefits of drawing from objects that are sitting directly in front of you. You are provided with a wealth of visual information…changing light conditions; rich textures; views of the subject from alternate angles; as well as information from other sense…smells and noise from the surroundings etc. Transcribing from three-dimensions to two is ultimately much harder than drawing from a photograph, but it often results in drawings that are ‘richer’ and more authentic.

Tip 3: Don’t trace

Throughout history, great realist painters have traced from photographs or worked from projections blown up onto walls. But these painters are not high school art students; nor are they assessed on their ability to replicate form.

There is a place for tracing in GCSE or A Level Art (such as when tracing over something you have already drawn or creating a repeat pattern), but tracing from photographs and then simply applying colour or tone is not acceptable. Such methods of ‘drawing’ involve minimal skill, teach you little and run the risk of producing clunky, soul-less outlines. Don’t do it.

Tip 4: Understand perspective

As objects get further away they appear smaller. The replication of this change of scale on paper (through the use of vanishing points) is called ‘perspective’. The fundamentals of perspective are usually taught by Year 10 at the latest. If you are a senior art student and have somehow missed this lesson, remedy this situation urgently. There are not many theoretical aspects of art that are essential to learn, but this is one of them.

Tip 5. Use grids, guidelines or rough forms to get the proportions right before you add details

Many students start with a tiny detail (the eye on a face, for example) and then gradually add in the rest of the image…ending up with a drawing that is badly proportioned or doesn’t fit on the page (or floats aimlessly in the middle of it). This can be avoided by approximating the basic forms before adding details or by using guidelines to ensure that proportions are correct.

If working from a photograph, using a grid can result in highly accurate work. It allows students to focus on one small segment of the image at a time and gives arbitrary lines from which distances can be gauged. This can be a helpful strategy when precise, detailed images are required and can itself become a celebrated component in an artwork. As gridding is methodical and involves meticulous plotting of lines, however, it is important to acknowledge that this approach runs the risk of producing tight and regimented drawings that lack in ‘spirit’ and should thus be approached with care.

Tip 6: Be wary of ellipses

This diagram by Rachel Shirley illustrates some of the common errors when drawing an ellipse.

Ellipses – the oval shapes that are visible at the top of cylindrical objects such as bottles or jars – frequently ‘trip up’ a weak drawer. They can send an immediate signal that a student isnot looking at what they are drawing. All ellipses, no matter what angle they are viewed from, should be rounded (not pointed) at the ends, as illustrated in the image to the left (by Rachel Shirley) and below (sourced from IDsketching).

These are photographs of a glass with horizontal bands of tape around it (sourced from IDsketching). These photos provide a superb illustration of how ellipses – when viewed from any angle – are rounded (as opposed to pointed) at the ends.

Tip 7: Keep the outlines light

This observational study was part of an IGCSE ‘A’ grade Coursework submission by Georgia Shattky, from ACG Parnell College. It shows folded fabric hanging over the corner of a wooden dresser. Note that there is not a single black outline within the work: edges are defined solely through variation in tone.

As your drawing is fleshed out in more detail, with attention given to the subtle variations in shape and form, the natural inclination – especially of the novice drawer – is to want to darken in the outlines, to help ensure they are visible. Do not do this.

Real objects do not have dark lines running around every edge. Edges should instead be defined by a change in tone and/or colour, as in the beautiful graphite drawing by an IGCSE Art student shown to the left.

If you are producing a line drawing, a cartoon or some other graphic image, outlines may be darkened, but in an observational drawing – especially one which you wish to be realistic – dark outlines are never advised.

Tip 8: Have a Good Range of Tone

When it comes to applying tone to your drawing, as with everything else, look at the object. Observe where the light and dark areas are and copy what you see. In almost all cases, your drawing should have a full range of tone, from black, through a multitude of greys (or coloured mid-tones) through to white.

Some students – having learnt how to blend tone smoothly from dark to light – develop the unfortunate habit of randomly shading all surfaces from dark to light. Tone should never be invented and it should never be applied by guesswork.

Tip 9: Use mark-making to convey surface quality and texture

When producing an observational drawing, the mark-making used should help to convey the texture(s) of the subject matter. There are a multitude of different ways a pencil can strike paper – hatching / dashes / smudges / dots… think carefully before you decide which technique to use.

This ‘A’ grade IGCSE Art exam piece is by Caitlin Dykes from ACG Parnell College. Even when a light material is depicted (as in the cloth shown underneath the fruit) shadows are deep and rich in tone. Note the great addition of the snails in this work!

This ‘A’ grade IGCSE Art exam final piece was produced by the talented Claire Mitchell (ACG Strathallan College). The surface qualities of the objects are skilfully depicted: furled cauliflower leaves, with the finely textured mottled surface of the cauliflower.

Tip 10: Include / omit detail as necessary

One area where students often become disheartened is in the depiction of incredibly complex subjects. When drawing trees, plants and bushes, it is not necessary to replicate every leaf or stick. When drawing a person, it is not necessary to depict every strand of hair. The artist is always in a position to pick and choose what goes in their artwork. As long as the decision is based on what is aesthetically best for the work (rather than wanting to leave out something that is hard to draw…which is often the driving force behind students wanting to eliminate certain aspects of their image) there is nothing wrong with omitting certain details from a drawing. In fact, often the composition is less cluttered and easy on the eye because of it.

There are many approaches to this. Sometimes every single detail might be recorded with accuracy. Sometimes a certain area of a drawing is rendered in full, with other parts trailing away.

This observational pencil drawing of a sandal, cloth, shoe polish, brush and newspaper was completed during an IGCSE Art examination by Emma Phillips from ACG Strathallan College. This A* work is a good example of how it is sometimes beneficial to omit detail. Emma has included only part of the text, ensuring that her final work doesn’t become over-cluttered.

Tip 11: Insert your own soul

Most of the tips above are aimed at helping a student create more realistic observational drawings. This last tip is something different. It is a reminder that sometimes it is the difference between the real item and the drawing that matters.

Although observational drawings are usually expected to be realistic in nature, they do not need to be hyper-realistic (in other words, they don’t have to look exactly like a photograph). Often, it is the unrealistic parts: the unexpected mark-making – the gap between the real object and what is drawn – where the soul sneaks in. It is the beauty in smudges and irregularities and artistic interpretation. Even an GCSE or A Level Art student is an artist. Embrace this!

A beautiful graphite drawing by April Coppini:

This beautiful graphite drawing by April Coppini is a perfect illustration of how an artist can inject some soul into an observational work. While forms are depicted in a realistic, highly accurate manner, they are surrounded and sometimes covered by smudgy, beautiful marks that are only visible in the eye of the artist. This is where the magic lies.

https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/realistic-observational-drawings

Mrs Scarr

Head of Art

Article of Interest

Why Study Business?

You’re A Good communicator

Business graduates are more likely to end up in roles that put a premium on communication skills. Effective communication is essential in many business fields, including administration, entrepreneurship, human resources, management, marketing, and project management.

To Keep Your Career Options Open

If you still haven’t figured out what you want to be when you grow up, don’t panic just consider the fact whatever you become will be ‘in a business!’ Studying business is highly flexible. A diploma, business degree or graduate certificate can qualify you for numerous jobs. Plus you can easily branch off into other fields.

To Become More Employable

Business courses are highly effective at making you employable. Graduates can apply for numerous types of jobs. Every employer needs professionals to do jobs such as accounting, financial management, human resources management, marketing and public relations. That means people with business qualifications are always in demand.

To Learn How To Start Or Manage A Business

Business is the best subject if you have the ambition to start or run a business. You can learn core skills required in every company or organisation, such as accounting, finance and marketing. Gaining skills for running a business can prove valuable even if your main goal is just to land a salaried job. As well, opportunities could arise to be a freelancer, franchisee or small business owner. The online gig economy is a growing destination for enterprising people with business skills.

To Learn How To Manage Or Lead

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is the world’s most popular and famous postgraduate qualification. When you do an MBA, you learn the art of leadership while also studying regular business subjects from a manager’s perspective.

People enrol in MBA programs for all sorts of reasons, including the significant salary benefits that often come with holding the degree. But the unique and distinguishing feature of an MBA is the management and leadership training you receive.

To Work In A Chosen Profession

Studying business allows you to qualify for a chosen profession. Some examples are accountant, economist, entrepreneur, financial advisor, human resources manager, logistics manager, marketing professional, project manager and social media marketer.

You Have a Business Mind

If you have a mind for business, then studying the subject and having a career in the field is the only logical thing to do. Going into business will give you the best opportunity to put your brain to work and make a high salary or large profits. According to Danial Darrow, the qualities of someone with a business brain are that they: see opportunity, tolerate risk, have a forward vision, are able to find solutions, and are accountable for getting things done. These traits help them make money consistently.

https://lerna.courses/why-study-business-reasons/

Laura Secker

Staff Profile

Louise Rose - Science Teacher

This is Louise’s eighth year teaching secondary Science and her fifth year teaching A-Level Biology. Her passion for science started from a young age, with a keen interest in human biology. Growing up as a competitive swimmer, she always loved to learn about bio-mechanics, physiological responses to exercise and nutrition. This led her to study a degree in Sport, Exercise Science and Biology at university. Louise completed her teacher training in 2015 at Kings’ College, London, and then worked at an outstanding school in the UK where she held the roles of Head of Year and Associate Assistant Principal. Having considered a move overseas for many years, she eventually relocated to Dubai in 2020.

Louise says of the JAS Values;

“Kindness and Growth Mindedness are the two JAS values that resonate with me the most. Below are some of my favourite quotes that I try to live by:

1. 'Work hard and be kind'

2. 'In a world where you can be anything, be kind'

3. 'Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best' (this is a personal favourite as my mum said this a lot to me growing up)”

Louise loves travelling and will always choose to do outdoor activities over relaxing. Some of her favourite experiences so far are: hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, exploring the Amazon Rainforest at night and taking a boat along the Amazon River in Peru; releasing turtle hatchlings into the wild, visiting a sun bear rehabilitation sanctuary and walking alongside orangutans in Borneo; climbing an active volcano in Nicaragua; and seeing the incredible animals and landscapes of the Galápagos Islands. Her next big adventure is to Everest Base Camp next year, accompanied by Chloe Thompson and any other staff that they can persuade!

Louise is really enjoying her Wednesday mornings with the cross country ECA and is very much looking forward to involving herself with all that the JAS community has to offer.

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