Meet the Professor

With Meet the Professor, TU Delft is celebrating its Dies Natalis (birthday) together with primary schools in Delft. During Meet the Professor, professors from TU Delft gave at ISD a guest lecture at Delft primary schools about their own research.

Professor Fulvio Scarano from the Aerospace Faculty came to visit PYP7B and share his knowledge about his aerodynamics research using wind tunnels and lasers, and then facilitated an experiment with the children. We so appreciated his time and had a lot of fun while learning about future personal mobility in space and on our planet, amongst many other topics. The students had loads of questions for him and showed some deep understanding of physics, including Newton’s laws of motion.

Professor Bill Rossen came to visit PYP7A and demonstrate different aspects of surface tension. The children enjoyed experimenting with the effects of surface forces on different substances (dish soap, shaving foam, water…)

 
 

This year MYP 1 A& B was visited by Dr. Sebastian Geiger. He is a Professor for Sustainable Geoenergy at the Department of Geoscience and Engineering, at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at Delft University of Technology here in Delft.

He talked about global warming and how different types of energy consumption impact the CO2 emissions and how there are alternatives of clean energy like geothermal energy. He explained key ideas of using geothermal energy and highlighted that geothermal energy does not produce CO2 (or only very little).

The professor shared how the use of geothermal energy can be used in Delft and showed rocks from below Delft and how from 2024, geothermal heat will be produced from underneath our feet, to heat homes in Delft and reduce CO2 emissions.

Imagination, creativity, and innovation in PYP6 music lesson 

During the unit of inquiry about the planets, students explored listening to ‘The Planets’ by Gustav Holst. In the lesson, we focused on Mars, the Bringer of War which is one of the seven movements of this orchestral suite. By listening to this movement in several sessions, students were able to experience, identify, and describe Holst’s music following their own interpretation. Making a distinction between facts and the use of imagination was a relevant discussion when recreating what could have possibly led Holst to create specific sounds that the listener could identify with Mars, the Bringer of War. 

In the following sessions, students used their imagination to visually represent Holst's music in their own way. The idea was to come up with something new and personal by using Holst’s music as an inspiration to draw upon. Some kept drawing using abstract forms while others created their own stories by drawing planets, stars, and different characters. I believe developing students’ imagination and their ability to be creative is essential in education and has an impact beyond the music lesson. As John Dewey suggests, ‘every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination’. 

To conclude this unit, students were invited to leave the music lesson behind and embark on a journey of imagination: what useful object would they want to create if they could? Apart from the amusing and interesting ideas like having a machine that covers you with your blanket when going to sleep, many of them imagined creating portals that could give you access to a different time or a different place. One student thought that having special scissors to cut the air could be a good way of opening a portal. Another student added: ‘oh, that would be like cutting the fabric of reality’.  

In any case, even if the class discussion described above is far from being a scientific approach to creating, thinking creatively is an essential part of any scientific or artistic endeavor. As the unit was about to end, an article on The Guardian was shared with me about ‘theoretical achievement hailed’ regarding physical wormholes (The Guardian, 01st of December 2022). Although ‘sending people through (wormholes) remains in the realms of science fiction’ as the article states, it was relevant to share a simplified version of the article in class for students to know that scientists are working on it.  
 

Student Led conferences - at ISD Secondary

In February, we will be conducting Student Led Conferences. These conferences include your child, you, and the mentor. We strongly feel that we learn best when we reflect on our experiences. The student-led conference allows for your child to showcase their understanding and learning journey. It is important for our students to know that learning is something they do, as opposed to something that is done to or for them. SLCs provide students with the opportunity to take control of their learning by becoming independent, self-directed learners.

During the conferences, students are responsible for showing you and reflecting upon a variety of their academic work, and learning engagements, and leading you through discussions about their personal, social, and academic achievements and progress. The student is the centrepiece of such a conference while the teacher acts as the guide. The role of the parent is to be an active listener and help assist their child with their learning journey. Please note that students are encouraged to conduct the conference in their first language if they feel comfortable doing so.

Read little Red Riding Hood

MYP 4 and 5 English language and literature are being well prepared for the DP-programme. They are analysing the conventions, structure and literary devices of poetry, short stories and song lyrics, but they also put into practice on how to use language in a powerful yet persuasive manner.

Students had to emulate a READ poster, which was popular and initiated by the American Library Association in the 90s in order to express the pleasure and importance of reading. In the MRC one could find examples of students' work that feature their favourite celebrity reading a book suitable to their personality or passion.

Moreover students are currently engaged in creative writing and are playing around with a genre that encompasses poetry, rap, songs and storytelling: spoken word.

One assignment resulted in entertaining stories; students had to do alternative readings to the original fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood by Brothers Grimm. By critically thinking and twisting the plot through either a feminist, Marxist or psychoanalytical lens little Red Cap transformed from a damsel in distress into an independent, feisty and ferocious young woman.

Whichever perspective we read, the narrator's or student's point-of-view has always been one to empower the female protagonist. In class, we give them a voice to express themselves whether it is from an imaginary world or the actual global world.
 

Another take on Little Red Riding Hood by Chorana MYP 4:

Hi, my name is Red. Here is an interesting story about me you might want to know. Read it if you want to. Years ago when I was sixteen years old I lived in a small town in Sweden called Kiruna. My grandmother had been very sick for about two weeks, I would visit her every week around three times to check up on her. Let me tell you I was really scared, the doctors had been doing x-rays and tests to see if she had breast cancer. Although there was no confirmation until one day. 

19th of June 2013. It was a pretty bad day, I got a phone call around four pm that day from the hospital saying I had to get there as fast as possible. I left work, I was working at Starbucks then and earned a pretty good amount. I got in my car and drove as fast as I could to the hospital. I walked into the entrance of the hospital, which were these huge white automatic doors. 

I walked to the reception to ask about my grandmother. 

“Umm, her name is Daisy Tyler, she came here two weeks ago. I was just told I had to come here as soon as possible. Could you maybe tell me where she is?” I asked, sounding rushed. 

The receptionist looked at me weirdly and then replied, “How do you know Mrs. Tyler?” she asked. 

Burning with fury and anger inside me, trying not to yell and scream I calmly said, “I am her granddaughter Miss, Red Tyler.” what's wrong with this lady, trust me and let me go to my grandmother, she could be dying for all I know.

“Alright then, she is in room 206.”

“Thank you!” I gushed, ran to the elevator and pushed the button for it to come. I got into the elevator and pushed 2, for the second floor. The second the doors opened on the second floor I sprinted to the room as fast as my feet could take me. 

I got to the room and swung the door open. I saw my grandmother on the other side of the room lying there on the hospital bed. She looked weak as ever. I felt a huge amount of sorrow and sadness rising within me. There was a doctor standing next to her, I looked at his name tag, which read Wolf Forest. Heh, weirder than my name. Names like that exist who knew? 

“Hi grandma, I’m here now. You’ll be okay, stay strong.” I said to her as I walked up next to her bed, gave her a kiss on the cheek and spun around to face the doctor. 

“Doctor… Wolf.” I began, “Tell me what's wrong with her? Why did I have to come so suddenly?” I asked worriedly. 

“I’m sorry Ms Tyler, I don’t want to have to bring you this news. I don't wish it on anyone,” he said hesitantly. 

“Get out with it!” I screamed upset.

“She has two days left to live.” He said with pain in his voice, he didn’t say anything else but stared at the floor for a few seconds. Then left the room saying, “I’ll leave you two alone now. Come and find me if anything happens.” 

Beweegwijs at ISD primary

Starting this year every Monday, each class will get an extra 20 minutes of outside play! Really cool and fun, except it’s not the normal outside play that they are used to! Following a set of special colors and rules, the children will learn how to play with each other outside in a way that is more respective and healthier for everyone. The playground will be split into different colours, with different types of games (with brand new equipment) in each colour. This will provide more structure to playtime and will make sure that each kid has something to do. These are the colours:

White = By yourself, chillzone 
Blue = Next to eachother, by yourself 
Yellow: Taking turns
Orange: Sharing (playing with eachother) 
Green: Working together  
Red: Against eachother 

The goal is eventually to do this every breaktime, all week, but first only on Mondays to see if it is a success. The teachers of Primary have already tried this out during the study day and loved it!

Extended Learning Programme ISD Secondary

Contribution by Becky van Paassen

Our extended learning programme is underway, and we have some great clubs taking place this term. A big thank you to our teachers and volunteers for making this possible. Please see the schedule attached, if your child wants to join a club, they can email me (Ms van Paassen) at: b.vanpaassen@internationalschooldelft.org or send a message via the club's classroom page. It is important that all students accept the invite that was sent to join the classroom page for the Extended Learning Programme, as all information will be shared via this page. 

We are in the process of adding some music lessons to the programme. More information about this will be sent out after the February break. 

If you have any questions about our extended learning programme, please feel free to get in touch!  

 

Field trip to Vermeer Museum

Such a lovely morning we had! 
Walking through the city of Delft to reach the museum, knowing about Vermeer's life, having the chance to feel like one of the artist models and learning about his technique (perspective, the use of light, pigments...) as well as his artworks. We got deep into the artist's life and maybe that can be one of our role models, as we are working on it in our current unit.  
Also, students got a lot of ideas to get ready for their exhibition!

MRC News - Holiday Haiku Contest Winner

Contribution by Ms Gina Ruocco

With a pen in hand,

Crafted a haiku so grand,

Way to go, Maja!

In December, students and staff were invited to participate in a Holiday Haiku Contest at the Media Resource Center. Participants had to choose their words carefully to create a catchy and thoughtful 17-syllable poem. Maja Kolosowska (MYP 1) was declared the winner after a vote was conducted among students and staff members. Congratulations, Maja!

Read her winning holiday haiku below, which beautifully captures the holiday season with lots of imagery: 

The Christmas tree's star
glows like a gold firefly
which floats in the sky.
 

PYP6 Imagination Lab Exhibition 

Contribution by Ms Georgina Cuenca

Fridays are quite interesting and creative in PYP6. During Imagination Lab, the students have time to work on their creativity, giving life to some of their ideas. They start with some sketches because we all have plenty of interesting inspirations on our minds but, what about putting them on paper? That can be a challenge! After that, it is time to start with the tryouts. What if...? Taking risks, redoing, trying a range of different materials... in the end we end up with a nice result.  

Students got the idea to share this process with their families, so it was time to work on their Imagination Lab Exhibition. And that was the result! A merge of feelings came out. Excitement, nervousness, joy and tiredness at the end of the exhibition (they needed to answer lots of questions!). But we all really enjoyed the experience! 

Lunar New Year at ISD Primary

ISD Primary has been celebrating Lunar New Year! On 26 January, children and staff dressed in red and were treated to an incredible buffet of special foods to ring in the Year of the Rabbit and Cat (Vietnam).

Many thanks to our incredible parent volunteers for decorating our school so beautifully and providing delicious food: Yian, Huan Liu, Yuan yuan, Hongmei and Yun fang. 

Chilling - or Buzzing!
 

Library Chill sessions can be productive too! Primary students love to help out in the Library, and we are more than happy to give them the opportunity to do something for the school community.
At the beginning of January, we asked PYP 6 students if they would like to create a book display in the library. They could choose any topic, but it turns out that a PYP student will always be a PYP student: Marianna, Arianna and Ania were inspired by their current unit of inquiry and created a wonderful display that they called 'Encouraging Role Models'. It was heartwarming to see that they also thought of the younger students and displayed 'animal books' too. We are proud of you girls!

We had an unusually quiet chill session on the 26th of January as the sun was shining, and most students wanted to play outside in the crisp but bright weather. Yasmika and Hashmita came to the library with their books but ended up helping us process some brand-new items: they put bar codes on the back, then stamped and labelled the "Wings of Fire" series. Ordering this popular series in English and in Dutch was the initiative of PYP 7 students, encouraged by Ms Heidi. The children are thrilled that they can read their favourite books in both languages. Now that is what we call translanguaging in action! 🙂