Newsletter #08

Dear parents,

“Transfer is a cognitive practice whereby a learner’s mastery of knowledge or skills in one context enables them to apply that knowledge or skill in a different context. Because transfer signals that a learner’s comprehension allows them to recognize how their knowledge can be relevant and to apply it effectively outside original learning conditions, transfer is often considered a hallmark of true learning". (1)

When teaching Mathematics, or any other subject, to our students, the goal is to emancipate them from applying their understandings only in a situation similar to when they learned it: we support our JS students in transferring their knowledge to any other context. Only when a student can transfer can be confident that he/she... knows. Interestingly in French we have two words for "Knowledge": "Connaissance" and "Savoir". In France, research in education differentiates between these two words: when someone is using "connaissance" in multiple different situations, his/her "connaissance" becomes "savoir". This is what we call transfer.

"The moment I understand that I can transfer my knowledge to a new situation"

Thanks to the success of his bakery, Robert Landron has opened an organic farm shop where he sells the juiciest fruits and the healthiest vegetables in Paris. He also has the most stunning strawberry you have ever seen. A strawberry weighing 10 lbs!

Thibaut Grovière, Landron's apprentice, is delighted to work in this new shop. He believes that his training at UNIS will allow him to solve all the riddles that his boss will challenge him with. Except maybe this one....

"Thibaut, yesterday you left our beautiful strawberry too close to the window. It was a very warm and sunny day. As you know, this strawberry was 99% water by weight. Because of your carelessness, the strawberry dehydrated until it's only 98% water by weight. As you can imagine, this makes me quite upset. But I will forgive you if you can figure out how much the strawberry weighs now."

Thibaut is quiet excited and is about to rush to answer what appears to him to be a very easy riddle. And he is wondering why Landron would be that upset - in the end, 99%, 98% what is the difference?! But Landron stopped him and said: "Don't let these potatoes influence you".

Thibaut is puzzled. "What do these potatoes have to do with this shrinking strawberry". Now he knew it was not going to be that easy.

Algebra (from Arabic: الجبر‎, transliterated "al-jabr") can be translated as "reunion of broken parts". This strawberry is a wonderful opportunity to transfer basic algebraic knowledge to a situation with broken or missing parts in a way that it can challenge our understanding.

This algebraic formula, considering x as the total strawberry weight, describes the initial situation as :

We know that the solid strawberry (without water) is constant and is equal to 0.1 lbs. This value never changes.

After leaving the strawberry in the sun, the total weight (x) is unknown, the new situation can be translated in this new algebraic formula:

We can then calculate the unknown value (x, the total strawberry weight), by resolving what is known in a simple equation:

The strawberry is therefore 5 lbs by going from 99% of its total weight in water to 98%. But why does Robert Landron say: "Don't let these potatoes influence you". This has to do with the "potato paradox": 

"The potato paradox is a mathematical calculation that has a counter-intuitive result. The so-called paradox involves dehydrating potatoes by a seemingly minuscule amount, and then calculating a change in mass which is larger than expected."(2)

This paradox produces a result that appears absurd, but is demonstrated to be true nevertheless. In this example, the complexity of solving the riddle is not therefore in solving an algebraic equation, but to recognize that in this situation the correct mathematical concept will allow us to solve it and so transfers our algebraic understanding to a very new situation.

Supporting our students in transferring their knowledge is the core of our mission and what drives our teachers every single day. But what also drives our teachers is recognizing effort. I will therefore congratulate Jack Dod, our Theatre Teacher, and Aslam Khan, parent of Thomas in J1S, for finding the correct answer.  Two thumbs up!


Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal

Susan Scullin, Junior School Principal Assistant

IMPORTANT DATES

EVENTS THIS WEEK

UPCOMING EVENTS

New Pre-K Classroom Inauguration

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

TO DO: BECOME A GREEN GUIDE AND HELP UNIS GO ZERO WASTE 

Wondering where to put that paper coffee cup after a school meeting? The Parent Sustainability Group will offer 20 minute training sessions on waste sorting on Tuesday (10/15) morning at 8:30 am, and Wednesday (10/16) morning at 9:30am after the TH Parent Coffee.  Please use the registration form to let us know if you will attend (and if you’d also like to help out at some of our upcoming events)—the training will only be held if we have confirmed attendees.

INFORMATION: “ADOPT A BAND” DONATION TO CHILDREN OF THE GANGES

The UNIS “Adopt a Band” club under the leadership of UNIS band director John Lambert has received a certificate and hand written card of appreciation  from India for donating over $1000 to the “Children of the Ganges school “ in Rishikesh. The Children of the Ganges School is a school for underprivileged children and founded 10 years ago by Truike Boekholt ( UNIS teacher) The school was able to buy 6 traditional Indian harmoniums as well as paying the salary for 2 years worth of once a week music classes. Please find attached pictures and video. What a great way of giving back from our UNIS music students to those in need in another part of our world. #UNISproud


REMINDER: PREPARING FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

JS PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE DATES

Wednesday, November 6th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for PK/JA - J4 (school is in session)

Thursday, November 7th from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for PK/JA - J4 (no classes for students)

Friday, November 8th from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for PK/JA - J4 (no classes for students)

CONFERENCE SIGN-UP PERIOD

LIMITED CHILD CARE DURING PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES - THURSDAY & FRIDAY

REMINDER: SAVE THE DATE - UN DAY - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

In preparation for our annual UN Day celebration, Friday, October 18,  193 UN Member State flags have been hung around the school. We hang the flags in the order that the countries are seated in the GA Hall each year, emulating the annual UN rotation. This year the first seat/first flag is Ghana.

Looking for your flag? Here's where you'll find it:

If you hear that the Chinese flag is incorrect, this is a true statement!  The small stars are tipped at an angle, encircling the larger star. The correct flag is on it's way.

Did you know...Denmark's flag is the oldest flag currently in use.  It was designed in 1219 and is unchanged since.

Please join your child on the morning of October 18th to celebrate UN Day and be a spectator at the JS Parade of Nations. Children and adults are invited to dress in the cultural wear that represents their background, or a place that speaks to their heart. Don’t forget your camera!

REMINDER: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 - 11:45 DISMISSAL FOR ALL JS STUDENTS

On Tuesday, November 12, to accommodate Faculty Professional Development, both Junior School and Middle School students will be dismissed early:

Tut Housewill follow their regular schedule.

Yellow school bus service will be available and buses will depart the school at approximately 12:00pm.

Athletics, After School classes and the Care Program are canceled for that day.

REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR CHILD’S DISMISSAL PLANS

Our homeroom teachers follow the instructions entered by parents in School Dismissal Manager each day. Now that after school activities have begun please update your SDM account to indicate what the plans are for your child for each day of the week.

SDM is the only way of letting your homeroom teacher know where your child should go at 2:55 dismissal. In addition to indicating that there is an Athletic or After School Activity, you must enter a description of the activity in the box below. If the activity name is not entered in SDM your child may be placed in the Care Program instead.

REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR FAMILY CONTACT INFORMATION IN VERACROSS

UPDATE YOUR FAMILY CONTACT INFORMATION IN VERACROSS TODAY

All departments at UNIS, including the school nurse, rely on the contact information that your family provides to the school in Veracross. Please ensure today that your preferred email addresses, cell phone numbers and home address are up to date and entered accurately in your profile. The information that you provide here is the only way we can reach you regarding your child.

REMINDER: LOST AND FOUND

Please take the time to write your child's name in all outer garments, athletic gear, lunch boxes and water bottles. Our staff does their best to return misplaced items to their owner, but without a clearly written name and class, it may not be possible.

Please note that unclaimed items are periodically donated to charity so be sure to check the Lost and Found bin on the 1st floor near the playground doors regularly for missing items.