Think Dare Share - Ecole Jeannine Manuel

issue #2 - Winter 2016
Think Dare Share
La newsletter de l’École Jeannine Manuel à Londres
Chères familles,
Learning is first achieved through
discovery. It is true for a child’s early
development and also true for complex
concepts and knowledge acquired
later on in life. At École Jeannine Manuel,
we believe the most effective way
to put children in a position of
constant discovery is to have them
actively engaged in their learning.
Over the past couple of months,
we have been really pleased to reap
the benefits of actively engaging our
students and how much of their
individual potential this has revealed.
In this second issue of ThinklDarelShare,
you will read about the virtue of
peer-teaching as engagement
mechanism. In various situations,
during Chinese New Year activities,
in the science lab, around the writing
of a fairy tale, or even within Student
Councils, pupils passed on their
knowledge to other pupils with all that
this implies for both the “teacher”
and the “learner” in terms of mastering
and acquiring knowledge and skills.
And while students were engaged
in their learnings, I have also been
pleased with how our teaching and
administrative staff were involved
and committed, always working
as a team for the benefits of our pupils
and the smooth running of the school.
Finally, I would like to take this
opportunity to congratulate the Parents
Association and its newly appointed
Board of Trustees. We are fortunate
to have parents who are passionate
about their children’s education and
dedicated to making our school
a dynamic and caring community.
Thank you and enjoy your reading!
Pauline Prévot, Head of School
À la une
Chinese New Year Celebrations
When more than half of the pupils at a school learn Mandarin, no wonder celebrations around Chinese New Year become a school-wide event and the opportunity for everyone,
children, staff, parents, to explore or discover Chinese language and culture.
Led by Mandarin teacher Qing Barelli, the festivities were
prepared well in advance, in and outside the classrooms. Chinese learners from CE2 to 5e worked on the symbolic meaning of the new year, they designed posters for each of the
Chinese zodiac animals, practiced their writing skills around
specific characters and created pretty paper lanterns. Meanwhile, Mrs Barelli also
took parent volunteers to Chinatown to find the right décor and accessories to
wrap the school in Chinese colors.
And from 1st to 8th February, the whole school embarked on a Chinese journey. The
highlight of the week was certainly the sessions of peer-teaching when Mandarin
learners went to see non-learners – our younger pupils and the latinists in Secondary – to individually teach them a few words in Chinese. “I was happy to see how much
enthusiasm this week-long celebration sparked within the school”, comments Qing Barelli.
Everyone, and the younger children in particular, was eager to learn Chinese and to know more
about Chinese culture, which they will as soon as they start Mandarin in CE2!”
The week culminated on Friday when all came – parents included – dressed in
traditional clothing or Chinese colors. Mandarin learners delivered a beautiful
singing performance in the main hall, a few parents visited every classroom to distribute good fortune treats and everyone closed chanting “Xīnnián hǎo” (“Happy
new year”).
!
page 2
Learning
insight
page 3
Class
stories
page 4
Community
Learning Insight
When pupils share their knowledge: the virtues of peer-teaching
Is there a better way of consolidating learning than to have pupils transfer their knowledge to
a peer? Over the past couple of
months, there have been many
situations in school when pupils from different age groups
came together to share with or
teach one another. For our team
of educators, it is an effective
way of having pupils actively
engaged in class.
This was the case when some
Primary and Secondary pupils
met in the science lab to talk
about the thermometer. While
the CP had learnt how to read
a thermometer, the 5e were
able to share with them the
science behind it and use scientific terms that the younger
children were ready to hear and
understand. Peer-teaching was
also extensively used during
the Chinese New Year activities
when Mandarin learners met
with non-learners and through
one-on-one interactions taught
them how to say a few words in
Chinese.
In all these situations, pupils
who are in a teaching position
– and sometimes it can be the
younger students – are fully engaged. They must have a complete mastery of their subject
and be able to put themselves
in the shoes of the learners.
This exercise also allows them
to test and try their knowledge,
and consolidate their learning.
“The “learners”, are in a situation
of full discovery and stimulation”,
explains Coralie Manhes, Head
of Primary school. “They are keen
on showing their peer-teacher what
they already know or can do. For
both, this situation is a source of
great pride and respect for each other”, she adds.
Another day, two separate writing projects on the fairy tale
genre in 6e and CP led to a very
rich
discussion between
the older and
younger students,
when
the CP presented
their
stories to the 6e and the 6e acted
as real book reviewers, asking
the CP many questions about
their plot, their characters, their
ending. “This moment of sharing
helped the 6e put their work into
perspective, explains Mrs. Muris-Prime, their French teacher,
and allowed them to consolidate
what we had learned in class about
the narrative construction of a fairy
tale.”
Cognitive science has identified four pillars of learning:
attention, active engagement,
feedback of information, and
consolidation. These situations
of peer-teaching or peer-sharing
clearly build upon all of these
and have proven very successful. We are also thrilled that our
Student Councils are requesting
more of these learning experiences.
Cognitive science
has identified
four pillars of
learning: attention,
active engagement,
feedback of
information,
and consolidation.
Peer-teaching builds
upon all of them.
CM2
MUSIC
How do
you create
a rythmic
ostinato?
In Focus
Fête du 100
Following an École Jeannine
Manuel tradition, on 24th
February GS and CP pupils
celebrated the 100th day of
school! Through multiple
activities, they practiced
enumeration and writing,
compared quantities to volume
and got really creative in counting to one hundred. Well done
to them and to our teaching
staff who turned this day into
a special learning experience.
?
Class Stories
“Assessment week was intense but a good
week after all! Following our written tests
in the mornings, afternoons were all about
sports and other activities. We took part in
a rugby and football tournament with an
awards ceremony at the end. It was fun and
really helped relax from the compositions!”
CP2
Une maman, deux pâtes à
modeler et dix électriciens
Lou and Baptiste, 5e
MS2/GS
Les lutins du livre à compter
Ce jour-là, les sciences en CP2 ne
se sont pas déroulées exactement
comme d’habitude. La classe a
accueilli Mme Rajab, la maman de
Jassim. Et celle-ci est arrivée avec
de la pâte à modeler de différentes
couleurs qu’elle avait elle-même
confectionnée – une pâte rouge à
base de sel, une pâte jaune à base
de sucre – mais aussi de petites
diodes et un sac de piles plates.
Depuis quelques séances déjà,
les CP2 s’étaient plongés dans
les règles de circulation de
l’électricité, les avaient testées et
modélisées.
Les expériences de squishy circuits
animées par la maman de Jassim
leur ont permis de consolider leurs
connaissances tout en découvrant
les vertus conductrice ou isolante
du sel et du sucre. « Les enfants
ont été tout de suite très réceptifs.
Ils connaissaient déjà beaucoup de
choses et avaient envie de participer
et d’échanger. », raconte Marie Rajab,
titulaire d’un doctorat en électronique.
Effectivement, quelle joie de voir
les petites diodes rouges s’allumer
lorsque le montage pâte-diode-pile
est conducteur et aussi de constater
et comprendre les failles d’un
montage où la diode reste éteinte.
CE2
Avez-vous passé une tête
dans les classes de MS2 et
GS au cours des semaines
qui ont précédé Noël ?
Avez-vous
remarqué
l’ambiance « atelier » qui
y régnait ? Les élèves
confectionnaient
une
surprise pour Noël…
Tout a commencé par
un défi, lancé par Mme
Combe et Mme Bouchon
au détour d’un temps de
lecture avec leurs élèves :
« Et si nous fabriquions
notre propre livre ? Un
livre à compter… du Père
Noël ?! »… Et aux enfants
de répondre interloqués :
« Mais non maîtresse,
c’est trop difficile ! ».
Pourtant, le défi est
relevé. Ce livre montrerait d’abord qu’on sait
très bien dénombrer,
écrire les nombres et les
représenter : de 0 à 10
pour les MS2, de 20 à 0
pour les GS. Mais pas
seulement. Dans ce livre,
on raconterait aussi une
histoire autour de Noël,
avec de jolies illustrations,
des éléments qui brillent, d’autres à toucher, à
tourner, à ouvrir, et
de l’humour aussi. Un
véritable cadeau de Noël.
Alors, tels de véritables
petits lutins, aussi déterminés que minutieux,
aussi impatients qu’appliqués, nos élèves ont
travaillé sans relâche : ils
ont établi un registre du
vocabulaire de Noël pour
construire leur histoire.
Ils ont dû se repérer dans
l’espace de la page pour
coller leurs éléments,
exercer leur motricité
fine pour appliquer les
étoiles, paillettes et autres bouts de feutrine, et
surtout, ils ont compté
et recompté, les pages
du livres, les points sur
les dés et les doigts de la
main.
Le résultat, lui, est surprenant. Ils peuvent être
fiers les petits lutins de
MS2 et GS. Aussi fiers
que leurs parents étaient
émerveillés en découvrant ces ouvrages le matin du concert de Noël.
CE1
Clôture du module sur le paléolithique. Les élèves ont étudié le quotidien des
hommes préhistoriques, l’art pariétal et réalisé des fresques telles celles découvertes dans les grottes ornées de Lascaux: travail au doigt, représentation de
scènes de vie, d’animaux et de formes spiraliques, utilisation de couleurs imitant celles composées à l’époque à base de sang, de charbon de bois et d’eau.
“Bonjour”, gémit la jument géniale
En français comme en anglais, le travail en petits groupes se poursuit selon les besoins des
élèves. Renforcer sa prononciation, appliquer les règles orthographiques, et prendre confiance
tout en s’amusant, c’était le but de la séance autour du son “j/g” qui a rassemblé des élèves
anglophones ou issus d’écoles anglaises. Une comptine pleine de poésie et d’allitérations que
les élèves ont été très fiers de présenter lors de l’assemblée de janvier et dont voici un extrait :
« Bonjour » gémit la jument géniale qui jongle avec des jouets en juin et en janvier dans la
jungle. Sage comme une image, la jument géniale est joyeuse. Elle est gentille comme une
girafe qui jongle avec la géographie et l’argile. Elle jacasse : un piège, c’est comme un manège,
ça bouge joyeusement !”
l3
Community
PARENTS
STAFF
Questions for Alexandra Blaringhem,
President of the Parents Association
Who does what?
Parents return to school to explore our teaching methods
It was no usual lessons given
at École Jeannine Manuel that
morning. Parents had taken
the seats of pupils, anxious to
learn. To learn what? To learn
about how their children were
taught!
In November, a first workshop
addressed the method used to
teach Maths in Primary. Run by
Mrs Prévot, who worked
extensively on the Maths
curriculum while in Paris,
the session took the parents
through the hands-on exercises
pupils do in class to understand
the concepts of additions,
subtractions, fractions
and more. From the use of
color-coded rulers varying in
sizes to the manipulation
of blocks, shapes and dice,
parents clearly enjoyed a way
of teaching they had not
experienced themselves as
pupils. “I was impressed with the
session, the tools and activities
help the children understand maths
concepts without even realising it!”
commented a parent. “You could
also tell the teacher’s enthusiasm
and passion.”
In January, a second workshop
took place to intoduce KnockKnockTM, the school’s English
as Foreign Language method
developed by Jeannine Manuel.
The objective for EFL children
is to absorb English naturally as
they did their mother tongue.
With Knock-KnockTM, the key
lies in the active participation
of the children.
It is essential for a school
to have innovative methods,
it is even more relevant and
efficient when the philosophy
and implementation of these
methods are shared with
parents. More workshops will
be planned in the future.
37
C’est le nombre
de nationalités
représentées par
les élèves de
notre école.
AN OSTINATO is a continually
repeated musical phrase
or rythm. To create regular
or irregular rythmic ostinati,
we used number lines,
sometimes adding pitches,
dynamics or tempo to
increase their complexity.
You were recently elected President of our Parents Association, why did you decide to get involved?
I have always been active in parents associations. My children attended various types of schools in many different
countries – a Montessori school in London, a French lycée and a Dutch school in Nigeria, an international school
in Scotland – and I have seen the benefits of developing
strong ties between the parents and the school as well
as within the parents community. The idea is really to create a dynamic and
welcoming community, to build trust and share happy moments.
Board members were also elected. How big is the team?
There are 12 of us and I must say we form a very driven and enthusiastic team
with a diversity of nationalities and skills.
And what are your projects for the rest of the year?
Our first objective will be to strengthen communications between the school
and the parents through the creation of a website and weekly electronic updates. We will also focus on building a sense of community through school
families gatherings, more soirées de classes, conferences, and a network of
parent partners as well as a big picnic party at the end of the Summer to
welcome new families. Finally we would also like to have some charitable
projects just like the “Festive Jumpers” operation we did around Christmas.
This operation helped support a young Nigerian boy called Lucien, could
you say a few words about him?
Lucien is an 8-year-old boy who lives in an underpriviledged area of Lagos,
the economic capital of Nigeria. His family could not afford to send him to
school but thanks to the donations collected with the “Festive Jumpers” operation, Lucien now goes to a school which I had the chance to visit while we
lived in Lagos as a family. Our generosity as a community will cover for two
academic years and we hope to do more!
Well, thank you for coming to school on 8th of February and introducing
Lucien and his family to the entire students body through pictures and
stories. We are all happy to know him better and feel connected to him.
Reception
Marie Charpentier, Receptionist
[email protected]
Head office
Pauline Prévot, Head of School
[email protected]
Sophie Durousseau, PA to Pauline Prévot
[email protected]
Administration & Finance
Thomas Prévot,
Chief financial & administrative officer
[email protected]
Bunmi Adegbie, Finance manager
[email protected]
Primary school
Coralie Manhes, Head of Primary school
[email protected]
Extra-curricular activities
Danny Potts, Activities manager
[email protected]
Admissions
Isère Lloyd-Davis, Admissions officer
[email protected]
Communications
Vérane Castelnau
Communications manager
[email protected]
ThinklDarelShare / École Jeannine Manuel, London, 2015-2016 / Head of School: Pauline Prévot / Chairman
of the Board: Bernard Manuel / Editor: Vérane Castelnau / Photography: École JManuel. École Jeannine
Manuel is a not-for-profit Ofsted registered independent school. 43-45 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DN
/ 020 829 5970 / www.ecolejeanninemanuel.org.uk