Newsletter of Singapore International School (Hong Kong) Nov 2012

We did it! We formed a square blindfolded!

Our Head and Vice-Head Prefects

The prefects for AY 1213

Leadership Training Programme and Prefects Investiture 1213

by Joanna Phan - HOD/PE, CCA, CIP & Student Leadership (Pri)

This year, eighty-eight P3 to P6 students were nominated by their previous years teachers for the Leadership Training Programme. In class last academic year, these students consistently displayed the self-discipline, integrity and initiative required to be a leader. The training, which took place on 7 September, was planned as a two-part programme. In the morning, students engaged in activities that emphasized different aspects of leadership such as organization, communication and delegating tasks. The latter part of the programme was dedicated to a Community Involvement Programme (CIP) event to raise donations for the Salvation Army. The training programme gave the students an opportunity to engage in activities that would challenge their ability to lead, as well as to follow, others. The CIP project gave the students a chance to work together as a cohort of students of mixed grades and genders. It also challenged the students to think beyond a simple task to a more long-term project. The whole programme gave the Student Leadership Committee the opportunity to get to know the students better outside of the classroom setting. The Prefects Investiture was held on 26 September 2012. Seventy-six prefects were invested during the ceremony attended by P1 to P6 students, teachers and parents of the prefects. The Prefects Investiture was a formal ceremony that was well received by all who attended. The school is proud to announce that its Head Prefect for AY 1213 is Phoebe Chow of P6H, and the Vice-Head Prefect is Arthur Liu of P6G. Congratulations to all the prefects of AY 1213! The school is looking forward to a great year working with you!
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HKMA Learning Journeys

by Donna Lesperance and Yvan Dansereau

During the week of 4 September, twenty P1-4 classes visited the Hong Kong Museum of Art to view the exhibitions, Creating a World of Compassion: The Art of Feng Zikai and Cruising the Universe: Fantastic Animals in the Arts of China. The artist Feng Zikai is well known for using cartoons to promote compassion and a more thoughtful and moral approach to life. Teacher Lee Giok Hua said, It is Fengs philosophy of life - to be truthful - that touches me the most. I think thats also the reason why his paintings touch the hearts of the Hong Kong people and have become so popular. Ian Fong and Tim Hu of P4R said Feng Zikais drawings made them realise that they needed to work hard and never give up easily. They also felt that they should be kind to people and nature, which meant respecting and accepting people for who they are, and trying harder to make the world a better place. Ethan Tai of P2H noted that going to new places helped him to learn new things. The exhibition gave the children a chance to see a different world and to learn more about peoples daily lives from the pictures. Do check out the bulletin board in the plaza during November for our P1 students responses to Feng Zikai. You can also take a look at P2 and P4 students vase designs inspired by Fantastic Animals in the Arts of China outside the L1 art room.

Arriving at the art museum

Teacher Lee Giok Hua with Feng Yiyin (Feng Zikais daughter)

Cooking Mama CCA

by Sek Hwee Leng

The Cooking Mama CCA is a new CCA run by parents who take turns to teach fifteen of our S1 and S2 boys and girls how to cook a variety of dishes, such as Chinese dumplings, fried udon with assorted meat, cola chicken, mango cheesecake, palmiers, tandoori chicken and black pepper asparagus bacon roll. Mrs Veronica Kwok, one of the cooking mamas, said,Since Cooking Mama CCA was intended for lower secondary students, we did not really expect them to know how to cook. But as it turns out, they are all pretty good in the kitchen, especially the boys I might add! Having taught the first two sessions, I think cooking was actually the easy part. The real challenge is organisation - understanding and following instructions, planning and managing tasks, coordinating with your team members, working efficiently and neatly and managing your time and resources. I hope that by the end of the term, our junior chefs will not only have learned how to cook some impressive dishes, but will also be able to apply the same organisational skills to their academic work too.

Mrs Veronica Kwok, the trainer chef for the first two sessions, demonstrating how to cook fried rice.

Want to taste our yummy fried rice?

Following in the footsteps of a REAL hero

by Steven Murchison

Impressions: Dr. Fok:

Only four then! Dr. Fok you are well on your way to actually becoming multilingual man! Oh, speaking of communications, could you please let SIS students know that if they are interested in hands on experience through Hong Kong University over the summer break, that they can contact me anytime and I will try my best to arrange something. Thank you for your interest in our school and thank you for entertaining our invitation to this interview. It has been a great pleasure to meet you and to hear some of your philosophies!

Two of our DP2 students, Allan Lui and Wayne Tse, were grateful to be given a fantastic opportunity to experience what it is like to be an orthopaedic doctor. Dr. August Fok, a real-life hero, provided the aspiring and eager students with a hands-on experience that may inspire them to future success when he arranged a work attachment for the young men at Queen Mary Hospital, through Hong Kong University. Dr. Fok also took some time out from his busy schedule to meet for an interview. Impressions: Young people really appreciate accomplished role models providing opportunities for the next generation. Can you please tell us what motivated you to arrange for a work experience attachment at the Queen Mary Hospital for Alan and Wayne? As a person interested in learning I realise that one can learn anywhere. I find it valuable to meet young people in order for them to expand their learning and for me to also learn from their perspective. I believe it is important to meet driven young people for both them and myself. Oftentimes, people want to be doctors but they have various motivations for this. Some want money, some want to help people etc. It is important for them to get a taste of being a doctor, especially since the training leading up to being a doctor is so difficult. I suppose it gives them a chance to experience being a doctor before they commit. Did you have any similar opportunities when you were an aspiring young student? No, unfortunately I didnt. My first hands-on experience was when I was an intern, another reason why providing such opportunities is so rewarding for both parties. Nowadays, statistics say that future generations will have as many as ten different jobs before they are 30 years of age. If you were not doing what you do now, what other roles could you see yourself being successful at? Hmmm A philosopher I believe. Perhaps at a university I could see myself discussing Plato and being an apprentice for others. What kind of a role do you think passion for ones profession plays in being successful? Passion for what one does is certainly important. If you dont like what youre doing, you are likely not on the right path. It is vital to like things. Like life, like happiness and like where you came from; liking all is important for well being. Appreciate or like a little of everythingholistic likes. They are like passion! It is collaborative, sharing people like you who are aware of younger generations aspirations who are true heroes to our aspiring students. Just for fun, if you could have one superpower what would it be and why? Ha! I really really like this question! I want to say to have a magic curing touch, but may I think about this for a moment? I like being able to overcome barriers. When people hear stories it really helps these barriers dissolve. Language can be a barrier; so, perhaps I could be something like, Multilingual Man. If one could decipher all languages these barriers would be removed. Yeah, that would be a useful superpower! Out of curiosity, how many languages do you speak? A little Japanese, Mandarin of course. Cantonese and obviously English? Yeah, those too!

Impressions:

Dr. Fok:

Our Summer at Queen Mary Hospital

by Allan Lui DP2A and Wayne Tse DP2A

Impressions: Dr. Fok:

Impressions:

Dr. Fok:

Impressions: Dr. Fok:

During the summer, both of us were attached to work with an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. August Fok, at Queen Mary Hospital. We were involved in helping Dr. Fok with research into shoulder pain and instability. This involved interviewing patients in an out-patient clinic, assessing their shoulder conditions and repeating the assessment a week later with a follow-up phone interview. Other research that we helped out with was the collection of data from post-operative reports, as well as the highly interesting creation of 3-dimensional CT images from two-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scans of knees after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. (The ACL is one of the major ligaments in the knee required for proper movement.) We also observed surgeries including: ACL reconstructions, torn tendon repairs, various fracture repairs and a hip joint replacement, which we both thought were absolutely fascinating and thrilling to observe from such a close distance. Allan: I observed multiple ACL reconstructions and I thought that this operation was extremely intriguing as it involved harvesting a hamstring tendon from the same leg to be braided together and strung through holes drilled in the shin bone (tibia) and thigh bone (femur) to function as a replacement for the torn ACL. I found that the use of the tendon in such a way was very ingenious. I had the great privilege to observe an autologous chondrocyte implantation as well. It is a rare surgery to be conducted in Hong Kong and involves taking a patients cartilage cells (chondrocytes) and causing them to divide, something that does not occur naturally after puberty, producing more cells that can be placed in a patient to create new cartilage to repair cartilage damage. What is even more remarkable is the fact that both surgeries were done arthroscopically, meaning that surgeons work with the knee through a couple of holes no bigger than 1.5 cm in diameter. Wayne: I was recognised for my adept interpersonal skills and was blessed with many opportunities for patient contact during my attachment, which I most enjoyed. I surveyed almost a hundred patients about the condition of their shoulders, and even became the verbal translator for a prestigious American doctor on the last day of my stay. Out of the two, I preferred the surveying of patients. It was a process I thought truly expressed my caring side. I was very well received by the patients who were evidently happier. It particularly touched me to hear from a pleasant old lady two weeks later during a follow up interview over the phone. She said she remembered me as one of the few people in her entire life who had truly cared for her. I truly believe human compassion and the medical field are greatly interrelated as a result of my experience.
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Impressions:

Dr. Fok:

Impressions: Dr. Fok: Impressions: Dr. Fok:

A Summer Full of Challenges and Rewards

by Cheung Tak Yiu DP1A

During previous years, summer was a time for me to relax after a hectic school year. This year however, I decided to use my time more wisely to challenge myself by stepping out of my comfort zone in order to widen my perspectives. I took an internship at the Legislative Council and worked under the Honourable Mr. Abraham Shek, the legislator who represents the Real Estate and Construction Industry. Having to wear a suit and tie to work everyday gave me a taste of what it is like to work as a professional and made me feel more mature and serious. In fact, the Legislative Council was a solemn place and had an air of authority. During my two weeks there, I was able to work with the legislator, discussing the filibustering that was ongoing at the time. We also analysed the restructuring of the government secretariat from different angles, weighing up its pros and cons. I also gained direct business experience by working for a high-end retail chain in Berlin, Germany called TOTS. I was able to monitor every aspect of the business from the moment the goods were unloaded into the warehouse until they were sold to the customer. I realised that managing a business is not as simple as I had previously thought: the merchandise has to be carefully displayed in the shop to promote sales in order to maximise profit, and a fine balance has to be struck between profit margin and a fast turnover of goods. It was also an excellent chance for me to boost my confidence and enhance my communication skills by learning to sell goods to complete strangers. Finally, I volunteered for World Vision, an international Christian charity. Since I am interested in pursuing a financial career, I chose to work in the finance department for three weeks working on risk and compliance. World Vision often embarks on community service projects in third world countries, which are not as safe as Hong Kong. Donors money is used to buy equipment for use in the field and hence risks have to be minimised in order to prevent any losses. If any assets were to go missing due to staff not following standard protocols, this could ruin the reputation of the charity. I learnt that a stringent risk and compliance policy is required for any organisation, even if it is a non-profit charity. It was a busy summer and I gained many practical skills which could not be learnt in school. I improved my confidence by interacting with many people from all walks of life. It was a most fulfilling summer!

Pretending to give a speech outside the Legco Chamber

Staff at the TOTS Brandenburg Gate shop

With Hon Abraham Shek

Group photo with World Vision Finance Dept

SIS Higher Education Fair, 25 September 2012

by Simon Wolfe

On 25 September this year, after months of preparation by the University Counseling Committee (UCC), SIS played host to the first ever, full scale Higher Education Fair in the schools history. Based mainly in the Sports Hall, which housed 43 booths, there were also admissions talks and Q&A sessions by seven institutions. Forty-one Higher Education institutions from six countries, together with the British Council and the Australian Consulate-General (Education Team), were represented at the fair that took place on the same day as the S4-DP2 PTM. The event, targeted at our DP students primarily, was well attended by parents and students from S3-DP2. This successful event was an important part of SISs University Counseling Programme that includes regular seminars by visiting admissions officers, guest lectures during curriculum time and individual mentoring by Higher Education advisors. Comments from Students: The fair allowed me to get a better idea of what I would like to pursue in the next four years and where I want to do it. I appreciate the effort put in by teachers in organizing the fair and inviting so many institutions so that we get a better understanding of our options. I encourage all students in the future to take advantage of the fair because it is a great opportunity to talk to admissions officers from universities all over the world without having to travel to different venues.
Hillary Leung DP2A

The fair gave me a better understanding of what universities from various countries have to offer. With the advantage of speaking to the university advisors personally, it was even more effective because questions were easily answered. It definitely improved my familiarity with universities in general and the courses I am interested in.
Audrey Sim DP2A

After attending the fair, I feel much more prepared for my university application as I have a better insight and understanding of the admission procedures. Most importantly, I think the fair helped me identify the course that I am interested in studying and increased my exposure to different university options available.
Crystal Wong DP2A

There were representatives from arts colleges, including Singapores Lasalle College of the Arts and Savannah College of Art and Design. All in all, the Higher Education Fair was a tremendous success, and we look forward to an even better one next year.
Kismen Chimaine Sneddon DP1A

Though I have already decided to major in Economics at a US or UK university, I have yet to make up my mind about which ones to apply to. The university representatives told me about student life on campus, and other information that could not be found online. Some representatives gave interesting talks about their universitys courses and application process. For example, one of the talks by UC Davis talked about the common UC application for all nine UC universities. It was a tightly packed 2-hour session and by the end of the university fair, I felt exhausted, but armed with valuable knowledge, and now I have a better idea of my options.
Cheung Tak Yiu DP1A

I found the Higher Education Fair very informative. For someone like me who does not really have a clue what they want to do in the future or at least which university they want to go to, this gave me a clearer idea of what kind of courses different universities provide and how some of them might interest me. Overall, it was an incredible experience and I cannot wait to visit it again next year when I can thoroughly prepare for enrollment into universities.
Claudia Leung S4W

Interaction between students and university representatives

Interaction between students and university representatives


"The student council does not only consist of its councilors, but more

importantly, it is made up of every single one of you whom I encourage to give opinions and comments. This is YOUR school, and YOUR school life. Vote for me and I will show you that every one of you can and will make a difference in our school, and nobody will be left behind. As a student leader, I won't be walking in front of you for you to follow, but I will be walking along with you, so we will all be moving forward together, at the same pace."
AC) (CC) (SC) "I won't be walking in front of you for you to follow, but I will be walking along with you"

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DP1A DP DP CAS IB DP IB

DP1 Lang & Lit DP1B

Reflections CAS
by Corina Chan DP1B

An unforgettable field trip

by Kismen Chimaine Sneddon DP1A

The Creativity, Action, Service programme (CAS) is a component of the IB Diploma programme, whereby students participate in projects beyond the confines of the school walls. Thinking globally, acting locally is one motto for CAS. It creates a platform for students to immerse themselves in the community by thinking creatively, participating in physical activities and giving back through service. I was initially overwhelmed with CASs demanding learning outcomes, without considering the real meaning behind it. CAS is not an academic subject; instead it provides students with the root to slowly grow into reflective citizens of society, thus positively impacting lives and allowing us to consider the ethical implications of different situations from different perspectives. CAS is a very unique component of the IB Diploma. What intrigues me is how it forces students to be risk takers, to find the true, legitimate meaning behind volunteering. When you are sure of finding greater purposes in life from helping others, it is definite that you yourself have grown into a more globally minded person. Most importantly, CAS has done its job!

On 12 September, DP1 HL Biology students visited a mangrove habitat in Tai Po. Instead of just learning about the different species of organisms found in a mangrove habitat, we got a chance to see them first hand. This activity was an opportunity to practise data collection techniques (we learned about challenges associated with each one), which will be useful when we start work on proper experiments and assessments. In class, we had discussed the adaptations of different species to their environment. We were able to witness this first hand when we counted the number of organisms of each species in a particular area of the mangrove habitat. We noticed that certain species were commonly found in one area but not another. This caused us to wonder why that was. We realised that the organisms had different characteristics that rendered them more suitable for one environment within the habitat. Through this meaningful experience, we learned about the myriad of different organisms within a habitat, while gaining valuable data collection skills. Most importantly, we had lots of fun! We look forward to many similar exciting activities in the future.

A brainstorming session about elderly people

Preoccupied with a perplexing problem

A crab we found

Identifying specimens

The Science Garden Starts to Grow

by Dr. Simon Griffin - HOD/Science (Secondary)

In the July edition of Impressions ( Impressions 1112 - Issue 5 ), I explained our intention to begin a garden in which students could become involved. Now, as the summer humidity has started to give way to a more temperate Hong Kong autumn, our microgardens have begun to arrive along with some very fertile gardeners' imaginations. While keen horticulturalist Ms. Sek Hwee Leng, will be taking charge of our new planters, the garden is such an exciting addition that it is already attracting attention. Students Sherry Yeung, Jane Yeo and Kerrie Chiu quickly asked if, as part of a CAS project, they could use the garden not only to give the school a little more colour, but also to grow something edible. Of course, colour and the kitchen are by no means mutually exclusive. Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus), which are rapidly-growing climbing plants with abundant red flowers, were originally used ornamentally long before the beans themselves were found to taste rather good. Garden nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) are another very promising 'colourful edible'. Native to the Andes, these very attractive flowers grow rapidly in Hong Kong's cooler season and can be used very successfully in salads. You may like to add them to baby spinach leaves, sweet cherry tomatoes and pine nuts (brought together with an Italian dressing using good olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar, for example.) Garden nasturtiums have a peppery taste and come in an amazingly decorative range of colours. For my part, I have asked for some space in the new planters to be reserved for strawberries (Fragaria ananassa). Our shallower, tiered planting troughs are ideal for strawberry plants, which can be purchased now as one-year old plants for cropping in January. And at this point I had better stop writing before my gardener's imagination makes me too hungry.

A green wall

A microgarden

Usage of 13th Floor Rooftop Area

by Richard Dook

Coming Soon

After more than one year of dialogue with the Hong Kong fire department, the Education Bureau and other Government agencies, our school has finally been granted a permit that will allow our students to use the 13th floor rooftop area during the course of the school day. This comes as a relief to all concerned at SIS as it allows us to use this space during recess and lunch times; this will help alleviate the over crowded Sports Hall when our students share common lunches. The 500+ square metre facility is currently undergoing a makeover that will see an additional external fence on the rooftop to ensure safety. This will cost more than half a million dollars. There will also be a netted roof that will allow our students to play football and tennis without compromising public safety. Students will be supervised at all times on the rooftop by teachers during recess and lunch, and the PE department will continue to evaluate its use to ensure that the facility is fully utilised. The rooftop facility will naturally be of great benefit to the PE curriculum. An important new space like this will allow us to offer specific activities on the rooftop, and will give us more flexibility when we plan our curriculum for each academic year. It will also allow for a range of potential new CCA's to be added to the school's current provision. Thank you to all those people who have met with local agencies to negotiate the use of this facility. It has been a long and at times a very difficult journey, but with perseverance and a great deal of effort, we can now improve an area of the school that will have an impact on all our students.

Octopus card usage for primary canteen

by Donna Lesperance - HOD/Student Development (Pri)

In order to reduce lunch order issues in the primary school canteen, we may be piloting the use of Octopus cards for P6 students some time in 2013. Students will be able to make their lunch choices and payments on the spot. This should reduce the number of students without their student cards needing to manually check their lunch order each day. It will also help prepare the students for the transition to secondary school, where the canteen operates using Octopus cards. Should this system work well during the trial period, it will be expanded to include P5 students.
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