While students work on these outcomes in class, we also encourage students to take part in activities outside of class that focus on these action and service outcomes as well. One new opportunity to do just this is the World of 7 Billion student video contest. The contest is open to grades 6-12 around the world. Students create a short video that is solution-oriented regarding an issue connected to our growing world population: feeding 10 billion, preventing pollution, or advancing women and girls. More information about the contest and the sub-issues students might focus on is found on the contest's website, linked previously in this paragraph. Entries are due by February 22, 2018.
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This year I am trying to just that by starting something new - Coffee with the Coordinator. It is a chance for you to meet with me, the MYP coordinator for ROMS and ROHS, to find out what the staff has been working on in terms of the Middle Years Programme, learn more about the programme, and ask any questions you might have. And of course, all while sharing a great cup of joe. Our first meeting will be on October 19th at 8:15 am. in the MYP office of ROMS (just past the main office next to the elevator). This will allow the parking lot to settle down a bit to ensure the hallways are clear for you. If you would like to contact me before that, please feel free to send me a message in the coming days.
One of the main components of being an IB student is learning about others' perspectives, beliefs, and values to understand the world and all of its people. In class, we focus on exposing students to many different views; however, there is something much more meaningful about working together and living out these moments with others from outside our immediate community.
The One Earth Writing group seeks to build this understanding of our shared humanity through writing workshops that connect teens from different communities and beliefs. Currently One Earth Writing is taking applications from teens in grades 7-12 for its One Earth Writing Ambassadors program. There are two ambassador programs with no cost to students. If you are interested, please learn more here.
The Walt Disney Company and Youth Service America are working together to inspire kids to positively impact their communities. During the Disney Summer of Service, they want to hear about kids making a difference. They will be giving out roughly 225 Disney Be Inspired grants of $500 to students to implement their service projects in the fall of this year. The grants allow young civically-minded students to turn their ideas into projects that will help their community by making it healthier, greener, or stronger. Students ages 5-18 in the U.S. are eligible to apply for the grants by submitting service project ideas until September 30, 2017 online at YSA.org/BeInsipired. This is a great opportunity for our MYP students to get funding to make a difference. Part of MYP is a focus on service as action, meaning students use the knowledge, skills, and understanding they have learned in class to take action to serve their wider community. It is also a great opportunity for students who are taking part in the Personal project to see if they can get funding for their project idea.
Summer Planning
By Ray McMann It is hard to believe the end of the school year is upon us. We wanted to take a minute to share all the wonderful work students have or are in the process of completing and what the Personal Project process looks like moving forward. Students are at different points of the process, depending on their individual needs. There are many students who have finished their investigating portion of the project and are working on the planning. There are others who are still figuring out what topics they want to delve into further. Wherever your child is on this journey, remind them that it is a marathon and not a sprint, and they will still be able to and can finish this project. During the summer we will post a new assignment for the month to help them manage their time. Ask your child what they are working on this month, or f you would like to look at the weekly assignments, just click on the link. Over the summer, we will be hosting a few work days students can attend if they would like help from the Personal Project team. The following timeline is what we will be using as a guide for our students going through the summer and into next school year.: Summer:
We are excited about seeing all of the wonderful things that students are going to create or accomplish for their project. We are also committed to helping everyone succeed. For more information on the Personal Project, please feel free to visit the ROHS Personal Project website (https://sites.google.com/oaklandschools.net/rohspersonalproject/home) or the Royal Oak MYP website (http://romyp.weebly.com/projects1.html).
The summer brings days filled with fun and freedom for students. The past few weeks, in talking with parents, I have been asked about ideas for how to keep students' curiosity alive this summer. Below is a list of different places and activities around Metro Detroit that you can possibly explore to keep those wonderful MYP minds sharp and wondering.
Detroit Institute of Arts - attend many free family events Detroit Symphony Orchestra - see a neighborhood concert series Michigan Science Center - check out the Spark!Lab Outdoor Adventure Center - free admission on the last Wednesday of every month Cranbrook Institute of Science - sign up to safely see the solar eclipse in August Detroit Historical Museum - check out the museum's historical Detroit street Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History - attend a one of the family activity events Theater Camps - look into sending your child to a theater camp for a week Arab American National Museum - attend a family event or eat wonderful food during a festival Vintage Baseball - see a vintage baseball game locally Michigan Activity Pass - pick one up from the Royal Oak Library Royal Oak Library - attend one of the many free events We hope all our students and their families have a wonderful, safe, fun summer and look forward to their return next year!
Many times students will ask, "Who even uses this [fill in the blank with the skill or concept being taught] in the real world?" or "I'm not going to be a [insert profession in the blank], so why is this important?" It can be hard to help see the value of what they are learning when there are so many other things going on in their lives. This is why it is important that we surround our students with examples of individuals who are living the IB Learner Profile or take part in a subject area that they usually do not associate with them.
Take for example John Urschel - a guard and center for the Baltimore Ravens. While many know him for his moves on the football field, they don't know that he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in mathematics from MIT while playing for the NFL. Urschel is the embodiment of the Learner Profile. He is undoubtedly knowledgeable, both about the physics behind football and mathematics, as well as a thinker, co-authoring a paper in 2015 entitled "A cascadic Multigrid Algorithm for Computing the Fieldler Vector of Graph Laplacians." Urschel is also a risk-taker, always trying new strategies, both in mathematics and football, and then reflecting on how to use them effectively to improve. Additionally, he is caring, giving back to his community through charitable events. He finally is the embodiment of balanced - balancing his professional, academic and personal relationships, as well as his physical and mental well-being. One way we can help our student or child see the relevancy of what they are learning to their lives now or in the future is to discuss with them real-world thinkers in their daily lives, whether in the media or in their neighborhood. By talking with students about the connections to the attributes in the Learner Profile or links to Global Contexts, we can support them make relevant connections. For more ideas for how to discuss these elements with you child or student, check out the Parent Resources page or visit the MYP Student page with them. |
AuthorMrs. Deniescha Malone is the MYP Coordinator for the Royal Oak Middle and High Schools. Archives
April 2021
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