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Written by: Ms. Viki – Principal , Bang Na Campus?

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The Grade 3 students of Wells Bang Na Campus explored their first Unit Of Inquiry (UOI) over the past 6 weeks. Through delicate dissection and careful questioning, they managed to find out more than expected. They discovered something surprising about every one of us.

The class began their exploration with a gallery walk. They saw images of people both familiar and alien. And as inquiring minds are inclined to do, they found themselves asking questions. Who were these people before them and why were they important? Where did they come from? What were they known for? Were they walking among us or already at rest? What do they all have in common? With their minds awash with questions, it was time to unpack the central idea: Heroes are a reflection of our beliefs and values.?

Through this process of unpacking, the grade 3¡¯s clarified the central idea. The heroes were not superheroes. They were not exploring the characters of fiction, but ordinary, everyday people. With questions yet unanswered, they set about researching the people pasted to the walls around them. Brandishing iPads, books, and encyclopedias, they began researching. Some chose to learn more about familiar faces, while others explored the unknown. They were tasked with organizing their research into mind maps. Afterwards, the students created Seesaw posts to share what they had learned about their heroes. And while this activity excited the grade 3¡¯s, they weren¡¯t finished, yet. More questions arose and, with it, the need to go further. Ideas were forming, but not yet clear.?

While furthering their research, the students discovered something, or rather, someone. A man by the name of Salman Kunan. Mr. Kunan was of particular interest to everyone in the class. His heroic actions were not known around the world. He wasn¡¯t Martin Luther King or Amelia Earhart. He was a local hero. But what did he do to have his name in Thai newspapers across the nation? To find out, they watched a documentary called The Cave. They learned that Mr. Kunan lost his life while helping to save the 12 boys trapped in Tham Luang cave. The students learned about Mr. Kunan’s death and they were impacted by the idea that this person could be someone that they knew. There was something special about Mr. Kunan¡¯s story. He was someone they might have passed in a shopping mall or seen on the BTS. They came to realise that heroes are everywhere. They are not just present at momentous junctions in history, but also in everyday life and everyday situations.??

With Mr. Kunan in mind, the students began to wonder if there might be other heroes whose actions were not to be found in history books. Young heroes tackling more current issues, both great and small. They continued their research with a renewed intensity. The grade 3s discovered many young heroes and connections with their own lives and experiences. It was after this foray into the world of young heroes that the students began thinking of taking action. Prince wanted to advocate for the endangered sea otter through the creation of an exciting comic book. Piper, Ete, and Tua wanted to inform others and prepared a presentation on ethical meat and farming to share with the grade 4s. Aadhya, Alina, Mook, and Vince put together an informative book to create awareness about the importance of recycling. Maya and Sun created a series of posters to share what they had learned about the PAWSBangkok foundation.?

What this magnificent group of students discovered through their journey was that everybody could be a hero. Our actions, big or small, can have an impact on the world around us. By striving to be knowledgeable and caring thinkers, we can change the world together, one action at a time.?

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Our teachers firmly believe in lifelong learning at the Bangna campus of ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½. As an IB World School, we encourage our students to take risks and try new things by discovering, experimenting, and trying new ideas and activities. So, to be convincing role models to our students, we must practice what we preach.?

Why Should Teachers be Lifelong Learners?

Our world is changing so rapidly that we cannot even predict what our students will be when they grow up. To ensure that our students are ready for that world, teachers must adapt to the constantly changing expectations of society on our students.?

The ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ in Bangna creates opportunities for teachers to learn new skills, acquire new knowledge, and learn to use new technology. The teachers at the Bangna campus attend frequent personal development opportunities to learn more about how their students learn, plan practical lessons, and collaborate with their colleagues.?

What do the Teachers Learn?

This year, the first professional development showed the teachers new skills and techniques to help our students with emotional regulation. This workshop helped the teachers know better how to support the students¡¯ self-management skills. Also, the new teachers had induction training to learn about the inquiry-based approach and how to evaluate the students¡¯ thinking and research skills. Third, the Thonglor and Bangna campuses joined to learn and practice collaboration. This workshop helped us connect our campuses, share ideas, and learn from each other.?

The ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Bangna team has some exciting workshops planned, such as useful assessment and integrating the learner profiles into the school culture. Also, Bangna team has plans to connect with future conventions and plan workshops with the IB group. Watch this space for more information on lifelong learning at the Bangna campus at ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½.?

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The Back to school season is always an exciting time for students and teachers. Our students were happy to return to school, especially to meet their new teachers and friends. The first two weeks back went by fast. The students in primary classes worked on establishing essential agreements or codes of conduct that every student wanted to see from themselves and others. In the early years’ classes, students got to get to know each other, share their interests, and help decorate the classroom. By the third and fourth week of school, exciting learning experiences were underway, with each class unpacking their first unit of inquiry.?

Wells Bang Na welcomed parents to visit the homeroom classes towards the end of August.
These visits were surprisingly exciting for our students. The upper primary students decided they would be the tour guides and managers, introducing their parents to teachers. The K3 students wanted to show off their learning centers and classroom organization systems. Our students were eager to introduce their friends to their moms and dads, strengthening the school and home connections and relationships. Families are an integral part of the support for our school, and we will continue to welcome their participation in event planning and whole-school initiatives throughout the year.?

Our teachers are looking forward to an eventful year of learning. Seeing the happiness and enthusiasm of our students during this first month has breathed new life into our classrooms. We are so fortunate to have such a dynamic group of students that will continue to collaborate with teachers in positively shaping this school year and the campus environment.

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Our K1 students joined the ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Bang Na family online for their first school year. Every morning Ms. Shauna¡¯s friendly voice met the small K1 faces peering through the camera. In K1, students learn new things about themselves and their world. The students learn all these new things through play. The IB Early Years program highlights how vital play is to produce relevant, student-centered, and creative learning.

Relevant Learning?

Online learning can so often disconnect students from the real world and their friends. Play is an integral part of our IB program and is evident in every aspect of the Early Years Program. We had some enthusiastic parents join in the activities to help make the learning more experiential. The students used big markers and cut-out circles to draw how they felt every day, showing their friends how they felt. Furthermore, the students enjoyed dressing up in their favorite outfits and talking about why they dressed up.?

Student-led Learning

At Wells International, we encourage students to be engaged in their learning by giving them a voice and choice. In kindergarten one, we provide the students with options to choose from, such as what songs they want to sing and what they would like to talk about. Giving choice and voice encourages our students to be more motivated and take ownership of their learning. To build this culture, we start early. Ms. Shauna often asks the students to come up with their own actions for dances and songs. Equally important, students have a voice when they can direct the trend of the lesson. For example, one morning, when Ms. Shauna asked a student how they were feeling, they put a box on their head. Ms. Shauna found a box and put it on her head too to allow the student to direct the lesson. The other students promptly followed suit. Another fun activity the students did was building numbers and letters with playdough. Playing with playdough encourages students to develop their motor skills, and with choice, the students can be creative when they decide what they want to make to practice their counting skills.??

Creative Learning

Stories play a big part in inquiry learning and encourage students to ask questions. Ms. Shauna uses these questions to direct the learning. She often uses puppets and dress-up clothes for creative and imaginative play. The puppets encourage the students to answer questions and create a relaxed atmosphere in the online classroom. Equally important, basic building blocks are ideal for different lessons to count, build, categorize, and even talk about. For example, Ms. Shauna asked the students to show how they were feeling with the building blocks. The students used building blocks to stack tall towers, long trains, or wooden cubes to interpret their feelings.?

Play-based learning is a great way to build confidence through positive student and teacher relationships. Positive relationships in the classroom allow students to trust their teachers and feel safe. Students are then more confident to take more risks without the fear of failure. Wells International Bang Na follows this philosophy and aims to create learning environments that are fun, creative, and student-led.?

Author: Ms. Sunee Steyn

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By Michael Barnes, Grade 3 Homeroom Teacher

The Wednesday Weekly Assemblies have continued to be a growing success at Wells Bang Na. The Kindergarten 3 to Grade 4 students interact with each other and feel a presence of school unity. Each week teachers and staff work together to create activities that are fun and engaging for students. ¡°The freeze dance assembly was the best one! It was fun because we got to dance using so many different poses,¡± said Nina of first grade. ¡°The assemblies are an exciting way for students to learn more about their teacher and classmates¡±, mentioned Teacher David. ¡°I enjoy how Wells Bang Na keeps students engaged even when online learning can be challenging¡±.

The Talent Show

Our most successful assembly to date was the Talent Show. This assembly asked students of all grades to reflect on their creative talents and showcase them to the school. ¡°My talent was memorizing multiplication numbers,¡± said Abhiram of Grade 3. ¡°I wanted to show my friends at school how fast I am at multiplying. Prince of Grade 2 demonstrated a Buddhist chant connecting with his traditional Thai cultural roots. ¡°It was my moment to show and make people interested in chanting. It was a great chance to make merit for the school,¡± mentioned Prince.

The Pet Parade

Even Grade 4 got into the mix of weekly assemblies. They planned and implemented a Pet Parade where teachers and students could showcase their furry friends inside their homes. ? ¡°Preparing for the assembly was a lot of work. The teachers who plan them make it seem so easy,¡± said Jai Jai and Mira of Grade 4. Everyone enjoyed seeing all of the different varieties of house pets. ¡°I loved seeing everyone¡¯s pets. But it was also fun to show off my dog to the whole school,¡± remarked Quinn of grade 3.?

As we continue with online learning, our weekly assemblies will remain a staple every Wednesday. Teachers and staff are working hard to offer our students the best in fun and holistic activities to develop our students¡¯ bodies and minds. We look forward to our weekly assemblies, and we hope our students do too!

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Our students were able to connect with students in Japan using Zoom. This exchange took place during the last week of online learning in January, 2021. The ability to take a virtual field trip to another school is a positive aspects of online learning. Through observing the students in Okinawa, our grade 5 students and teachers gained clarity on how to improve their own projects. They also saw how to share the exhibition projects with the greater community.?

Kanade (grade 5 students) reflected, “Previously, I was nervous about my own project. But now, I feel confident about it because I know what to expect.” After the meeting, we received positive feedback from the students and PYP coordinator in Okinawa. They appreciated the questions asked by our students. They felt that they were very strong inquirers and thinkers.?

Looking forward, our students are more equipped and excited to share their exhibition projects. Annie said, “I know what I need to do to improve my project now. I can add more pictures and explain my work more clearly because I know what it’s like to be in the audience.” Hank thought, “This experience gave me some good ideas on what to present.”

¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Bang Na will invite members of the community to participate in the Grade 5 exhibition in May 2021.

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On September 25th, teachers from two Wells campuses gathered for a special professional development day. Teachers from Primary and Early Years participated in this training. This workshop included two sessions and was led by mixed teams of teachers and leadership from Bang Na and Thong Lor campuses.?

Two groups, one big goal:

Our Early Years teachers participated in activities designed to build communication and collaboration between teachers and learning assistants. Our improvement goal was to strengthen communication in our school. This is the first step in modeling language to early years students.?

K2, K3 and Primary level teachers joined in a lively writers workshop session. The teachers practiced? hands-on strategies. They explored tools that they can use to promote literacy at multiple levels. ¡±In Writer’s Workshop, Ms. Tracy and Ms. Ann provided us fun, engaging, and practical ideas on how to get students’ interest in writing. As an EAL teacher, I can use these tools to encourage students in building simple to complex sentences. Later on, they will be confident in writing paragraphs, stories and other forms of writing,¡± mentioned Ms. Addie, the Bang Na campus Librarian.?

?Ms. Sunee from Bang Na¡¯s campus shared her feelings about this session: ¡°I have been given a new perspective on writer’s workshops and am now more equipped to create new and exciting learning opportunities for my students.? I appreciate the time and effort our school puts into the development of each teacher. Even though it was hard to forget the work piled up on my desk, I was happy to have Anne and Tracy share their ideas with us.¡±?

Learning together:

In each session, teachers had the opportunity to to build on their existing knowledge, compare communication and literacy instruction strategies and engage in fun, team building activities.?

Ms. Ellie from Grade 2 shared her thoughts after the workshop. ¡°Having an in house PD day was really useful as our administration listened to our needs so we did activities that we could really take back to our classrooms. I enjoyed the writers workshop session because we did a lot of hands-on learning that we can use to help our students be better at the writing process.¡±?

Conducting professional development within our own organization gives teachers the opportunity to grow as a team. ¡°I found the professional development day valuable, worthwhile, and relevant to my development as a teacher. Through collaboration amongst colleagues, we were able to share our knowledge and learn from each other’s experience,¡± said Mr. Jordan from Grade 4, Bang Na.

Building our team:

One of the most important takeaways from this day related to the roles of teachers and teacher assistants. In small groups, we listed the roles of homeroom, specialists and assistants. When we compared these lists, it was clear to see that our jobs are always overlapping and interconnected.?

Growing together:

In the future, we will conduct more in-house professional development to address the growing needs of our schools. “I think the idea that teachers are still working to improve their craft sets a good example for our own students. It encourages them to do their best, especially when we return from professional development with these new activities they haven’t experienced before; PD is so visceral and real”, reflected Mr. Russell, the Grade 5 teacher from Bang Na.

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