At last, the data card for internet connection anywhere has been succeessfully configured by the IT guy we called Som. In fact he had been trying to fix it on my laptop since yesterday afternnoon.
Teachers teaching the Middle Division (Yrs 7, 8 and 9) were busy preparing for the IB certification visit by IBO Rep next Tuesday. I was consulted on to help the teachers do a short write up on how the Singapore curriculum, a model which SIS, India wants to emulate,
helps students think critically and develop an inquiring mind. The Vice-Principal then asked for my assistance in vetting the final version. She was indeed grateful for my inputs. I was indeed embarrassed at times when she kept telling the Indian teachers to learn from "Sir" how we have done that.
This afternoon's meeting for teachers in the Middle Division had to be postponed as the teachers were not available as a result of this preparation. I was supposed to do some training for the teachers on examination requirements and procedures for the Middle Division mathematics papers and the setting of examination papers. This has been carried forward to next week.
This evening, I was able to connect to my family members on msn. It was an international chat across 3 countries - my daughter, Joanne in Perth, Australia and my wife and sons in Singapore. All were on their laptops or desktops and were chatting like there was no tomorrow...updating each other on our side of the world.
Ok now more on SIS....There are only about 180 students in SIS from Kindergarten to Year 11.
As the school had just started in August , they do not have Years 10 and 12 as yet. The school follows the Singapore curiculum from Primary 1 right up to Sec 4. The IGCSE program starts from Year 9. The IB program is for Year 11 and 12. Classes are indeed small in size ranging from 2 students in the IB Maths Studies class to 18 students in Year 8. There si only one class at every level. Though the class size is indeed small, the classrooms are huge. There is no fixed arrangement of desks and chairs in class. Pupils are seated in small groups or in a semicircle for teaching and learning. Each classroom has a desktop, a projector (which is wireless like the one we have in the meeting and conference rooms), a huge whiteboard running across the front wall. The higher classes have 3 Lenovo laptops wired up for students use on one side of the classroom and they are connected to the internet!
The students are highly motivated and are quite out-spoken. They are able to communicate effectively with the teachers are not shy to speak to teachers. In fact, they respect their teachers 100% and talk to teachers in a matured manner...something which Greenviewans got to learn, you do not hear shouts along the corridors or talking loudly when walking as a class. There is just this quiet that you can feel as you move about...reminds me as if I was walking about in a university campus. The students have yet to receive the full set of uniforms and they now dressed smartly to school in civilian clothes. Friday is a special day for SIS. The students come in casuals yet look smart. They are must wear shoes though. Male teachers also are allowed casual wear on Fridays..We put on a tie Monday to Thursday.
SIS is on a five-day week like us in Singapore. This Sunday, though, it's the Middle Division teachers to meet the parents of their students and i have to be around to answer parents queries on Singapore education. So this will be my second Sunday working in Mumbai! Cheers!
Teachers teaching the Middle Division (Yrs 7, 8 and 9) were busy preparing for the IB certification visit by IBO Rep next Tuesday. I was consulted on to help the teachers do a short write up on how the Singapore curriculum, a model which SIS, India wants to emulate,
helps students think critically and develop an inquiring mind. The Vice-Principal then asked for my assistance in vetting the final version. She was indeed grateful for my inputs. I was indeed embarrassed at times when she kept telling the Indian teachers to learn from "Sir" how we have done that.
This afternoon's meeting for teachers in the Middle Division had to be postponed as the teachers were not available as a result of this preparation. I was supposed to do some training for the teachers on examination requirements and procedures for the Middle Division mathematics papers and the setting of examination papers. This has been carried forward to next week.
This evening, I was able to connect to my family members on msn. It was an international chat across 3 countries - my daughter, Joanne in Perth, Australia and my wife and sons in Singapore. All were on their laptops or desktops and were chatting like there was no tomorrow...updating each other on our side of the world.
Ok now more on SIS....There are only about 180 students in SIS from Kindergarten to Year 11.
As the school had just started in August , they do not have Years 10 and 12 as yet. The school follows the Singapore curiculum from Primary 1 right up to Sec 4. The IGCSE program starts from Year 9. The IB program is for Year 11 and 12. Classes are indeed small in size ranging from 2 students in the IB Maths Studies class to 18 students in Year 8. There si only one class at every level. Though the class size is indeed small, the classrooms are huge. There is no fixed arrangement of desks and chairs in class. Pupils are seated in small groups or in a semicircle for teaching and learning. Each classroom has a desktop, a projector (which is wireless like the one we have in the meeting and conference rooms), a huge whiteboard running across the front wall. The higher classes have 3 Lenovo laptops wired up for students use on one side of the classroom and they are connected to the internet!
The students are highly motivated and are quite out-spoken. They are able to communicate effectively with the teachers are not shy to speak to teachers. In fact, they respect their teachers 100% and talk to teachers in a matured manner...something which Greenviewans got to learn, you do not hear shouts along the corridors or talking loudly when walking as a class. There is just this quiet that you can feel as you move about...reminds me as if I was walking about in a university campus. The students have yet to receive the full set of uniforms and they now dressed smartly to school in civilian clothes. Friday is a special day for SIS. The students come in casuals yet look smart. They are must wear shoes though. Male teachers also are allowed casual wear on Fridays..We put on a tie Monday to Thursday.SIS is on a five-day week like us in Singapore. This Sunday, though, it's the Middle Division teachers to meet the parents of their students and i have to be around to answer parents queries on Singapore education. So this will be my second Sunday working in Mumbai! Cheers!
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