IB World International School for the World of Tomorrow - DRS

The students of DRS International School celebrated United Nations’ Day on its formation day the 24th October by organizing a special assembly. It was a day to come together; focus our energies on the goals that bind the world together and the work taken up by it in various countries. A speech by the students of Grade XI-B highlighted the aims of Sustainable Development Goals and objectives of the UN. UN flag along with 17 posters displayed the aim and targets of each goal. The chart displays made these goals stand out clearly and distinctly and also inspired the assembly to take small individual steps towards these universal goals.

Taking on the World!

Our IB PYP students at DRSIS observed Social Science Week from 27th August to 1st September 2018 with each day being an opportunity to reflect on various topics ranging from role-plays on Indian ‘Freedom Fighters’, action-songs on ‘Listen to Water’, ‘Planet Earth, ‘Continents and Oceans’ etc. Students also presented their inquiries of different themes through dances on a range of ideas such as ‘Physical Divisions of India’ etc to create awareness and culminate cultural sensitivity among one and all in a fun-filled way. The students got an opportunity to engage in myriad activities that helped them to enjoy exploring emerging concerns in social science.

Inspire, Engage, Act!

AISEC’s Youth Speak Forum is certainly one of the most leading platforms for young people and their ideas today, inspiring engagement and action by nurturing diverse perspectives and insights into actionable outcomes about pressing issues that concern the world at large.

A team of students from DRS International School participated in the Youth Speak Forum 2018 organized by AISEC at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, on 30th September 2018. With speakers who belong to various fields of expertise and are pioneering breakthroughs in different areas, the crux of the forum’s agenda was to encourage students to engage and collaboratively discuss the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and our collective progress towards this. Our students learned more about a spectrum of ideas including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Design Thinking and Business Start-Ups.

As a diverse cross-sector and multi-generational space, the forum was a unique and inspiring platform for our students to learn from a range of thinkers and their ideas.

Playnomics & More!

Faculty from the Indian School of Business & Finance (ISBF), Delhi, visited DRS International School yet again, to conduct a workshop for the students of Grade XII (CBSE & IBDP). Being an institution that is affiliated to the London School of Economics (LSE), ISBF offers undergraduate programs for Economics, Business Management, Finance and Accounting.

Led by Ms Navni Kothari, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, the workshop helped students to apply the concepts of management and finance in an interactive and competitive game format that untapped the power of real-world scenarios. Students used the format of the workshop to develop their practical understanding of concepts such as strategy, negotiation, comparative advantage, basis for trade and gains from trade. Games such as ‘Bake-off’, for example, challenged students to make rapid investment decisions and rely on their knowledge and business instincts.

The workshop certainly helped our students develop their engagement with business management, economics and other disciplines in the commerce stream while nurturing their collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Hundred Days Happier!

Every day at our International Kindergarten is a day of joy and discovery! Our little ones of the International Kindergarten celebrated their 100th day at school this academic year in a grand way with a special assembly and a range of hands-on activities that help build number sense. The tiny tots celebrated the day with indoor and outdoor games that involved the number 100, using pegboards, cones and more! The games were followed by a group formation of the number ‘100’. The little ones also made special palm printed posters that explored how ‘100 Fingers Can Create Magic’ and an emoticon activity that called for a ‘100 Smiles’. They also enjoyed fun activities that developed their fine motor skills such as coloring and decorating the number ‘100’ to mark and make this day a memorable one.

Service Above All!

The spirit of service is the essence of the Interact Club at DRS International School, and discussions on ways to realize the motto of the club, ‘Service Above All’ was the highlight of the Installation Ceremony of the club for the year 2018-19. Held on the 23rd of September, 2018, the ceremony was attended by prominent Rotarians in the city besides members of the school management. The event saw the outgoing president of the DRSIS Interact Club, Mast. Arvind Kacham present a report on the activities of the club in 2017-18, followed by installation of the new office-bearers by the dignitaries present.

RTN. Uday Pilani, President, Rotary Club Hyderabad Deccan spoke at length about the significance of service. He also flagged off the new Skill Development initiative by RCHD, after which Mast. Kiran Jadhav, the newly elected President of the Interact Club shared his action plan for 2018-19. The solemn ceremony ended on a positive note with a meeting led by the Rotarians to orient the newly elected office bearers on the scope for service-oriented activities.

The Power of Collaboration!

The Programme Community of the IB Diploma Programme is a vast network of facilitators who understand that collaboration is the key to professional development. On the 29th of September, 2018, SAIBSA or the South Asian International Baccalaureate Schools’ Association, conducted their annual Job-Alike Session for the South Zone at Oakridge International School, Hyderabad.

The session was an opportunity for faculty and school leaders from across IB World Schools to get together to share good teaching practices, teaching ideas, their expertise, and explore issues/challenges relevant to the country or region and to share strategies and solutions. Mr. Ramesh and Ms. Ranjitha, Mathematics facilitators, Ms. Poonam, Psychology facilitator, and Ms. Ferzine, Theory of Knowledge facilitator, all attended the Job-Alike Session while Mr. Nagaraju, our Librarian also facilitated a session for other IBDP Librarians.

The plenary session which included the unpacking of the EE Criteria by Mr. Kaiser Dopaishi, President, SAIBSA, was followed by breakaway sessions in which facilitators discussed curriculum changes, Approaches to Teaching & Learning, and IA criteria, among other points of discussion. The Job-Alike session certainly helped facilitators understand different approaches to their respective subject areas and share their own.

Full-Court!

Our IB PYP students participated enthusiastically in the Inter-School Basketball Tournament for boys and girls conducted as part of the 8th IB PYP Hyderabad Network Sports Fest on the 26th and 27th of September, 2018 at Oakridge, Gachibowli. Despite their young age, our participants played with commendable skill and ability and enjoyed the opportunity to represent their school and take their love for the game to the next level. 

Hot-wheels!

Our young skating prodigies made us proud at the Roller-Skating Open Championship conducted by the United Skating Coaches of Telangana State on the 29th and 30th of September, 2018. The Championship was conducted at the Indira Park Skating Rink, Hyderabad and had the best talent in the state represent their schools. Ishitraiy, Rudra and Shriyan represented DRS International School at the championship and showcased their skill and finesse with confidence.

Thinking Classrooms!

Student’s learning is greatly influenced by the pedagogical techniques facilitators use to provoke and stimulate their thinking. Our Vice Principal, Mr. Rudolf Noronha, attended a two-day Cambridge Enrichment Workshop on Metacognition on the 24th and 25th of September, 2018 as part of the Agile Leadership Conference 2018, organized by TAISI in Mumbai.

The workshop focused on how teachers can use powerful techniques such as effective classroom talk and the metacognitive approaches can enhance student learning and drive student discussions. The workshop leader, Ms. Helen Rees-Bidder, shed light on strategies to encourage learners to think deeply and independently, while also supporting assessment for learning.

Tech-Teach!

DRS International School recently organized the Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts [MIEE] Summit on 22nd September 2018. About 14 schools joined the MIEE program dedicated to supporting educators in our journey towards using technology effectively in the classroom. The summit introduced us to the innovative tools and technology that enable us to embrace next-generation interactive teaching techniques.

The summit was led by Ms. Meenakshi Oberoi, an MIEE Expert from Microsoft Educators Community who is an active facilitator and has been collaborating with schools to impart training. The program helped us educators explore the different apps that are in-built in the Microsoft outlook365 account and understand the ease with which they can be used in online /offline modes, in classroom or off-campus.

We found the applications were definitely more appealing and user-friendly than the Microsoft Office Suite. Ms. Oberoi walked us through a few apps that could be used on a regular basis by the teachers. We were engaged in creating forms, survey for PT meet, Power-Point Presentations, newsletters and were amazed by the ease in which these tasks could be made simpler and faster with these tools. The most useful application by far, was one we could use to create quizzes, homework, and assessments that could be formative in nature and instantly graded, ultimately improving student outcomes. As part of a digital learning community, the training helped enhance our pedagogical approaches in the classroom. Overall it was a very refreshing enriching summit that helped us become more connected, tech-savvy and innovative educators.

-Ms Archana Reddy, IBDP Facilitator

Pursuing Peace

The International Day of Peace was observed at DRS international School through a special assembly conducted by the IBDP students directed towards the need for creating and sustaining peace through understanding. The choir sang the song “Where is the love?”, a powerful song was written to commemorate the lives lost in the Brussels terrorist attack.

After the assembly was over, the students of IB Diploma Programme then took to the classes themselves to present the school community with each of the aspects that define peace such as liberty, equality, love, security, religion, trust, hope, life and the rules of law. Each of these aspects was covered by different students of the IB Diploma Programme group. Students of grades 6 to 12 wrote their views on peace on flags. Also, a wall-of-peace was created on which teachers and students wrote their views on world peace. Students also put up a collage depicting the poignant distinction between peace and the lack of it.

After the peace talk was completed, all the students were then asked to add their handprints and write a message that they believed in which would hold true for peace. The International Day of Peace was observed with much somberness and hopefully ignited a ray of hope and courage in many hearts.

A Grand Get Together!

The IB PYP at DRS International School took the opportunity to celebrate the unique bond between grandparents and grandchildren by celebrating this special day on the 15th of September. 

The grandmas and grandpas who were the guests of honor were first greeted and felicitated by their grandchildren with attractive banners and colorful bubbles that added gaiety to the day. 

The International Kindergarten welcomed the gathering with dance performances to cheerful and peppy tracks such as ‘Happy Happy Grandparents Day’ and ‘Welcome You’ while Grade I and Grade IV students let music do the talking with their rendition of special songs such as ‘We Love Grandparents’ and ‘All Things Bright & Beautiful’. 

The Grade-2 students performed a play on ‘Grandparents’ which focused on the importance of grandparents in one’s life and sensitizing one and all about respecting and caring for them, while the Grade-3 students used mime to comically show the ‘Side Effects of recklessly using Mobile Phone’. 

The performance showcase ended with Goan and Hawaiian Dances which were performed by the Grade-5 students involving the grandparents who were very impressed and overwhelmed to see their grandkids performing for them. 

Thereafter, indoor and outdoor games such as ‘Lemon and Spoon Race’, ‘Passing the Balloon’ etc were followed by hands-on activities including painting challenges and a photobooth, which really helped the generations connect, and appreciate the special place they hold in each others’ hearts.

Carleton Calling!

Mr. Rob Finlayson, the Manager for Admissions & Pathways from Carleton University, visited DRS International School to interact personally with the Grade XI-XII CBSE and IBDP students. The various UG courses offered by the university were explained in detail in the session. With our students participating in large numbers, Mr. Finlayson’s session was full of with questions from both students and teachers, ranging from the admission requirements and scholarships, to life in Ottawa and even the coverage of medical insurance.

The students not only obtained more information about education in Canada but thoroughly enjoyed the session.

Today’s Peacemakers, Tomorrow’s Citizens!

On 2nd September 2018, the students of DRSIS have participated in a peace walk organised at KBR Park by Rotary club. Interact Clubs from different schools and the Rotarians participated in this walk.The peace pole was inaugurated by the President of Rotary Club Hyderabad Deccan. 

This peace walk highlighted the need of the awareness of various issues such as drug abuse, prevention of polio, water sanitation, need of peace, etc. The Interact Clubs and Rotarians of different schools united for a cause i.e. the betterment of the society that we live in. 

This peace walk cultivated important life skills in the arts of our students,  them, in the process, to be better global citizens. The walk lasted for 4 kilometers with every member making their voice heard!

The Future Begins Now

DRSIS had conducted a US Universities Fair, in association with Education USA, USIEF Hyderabad. The participation of numerous universities and an overflowing student-parent crowd facilitated meaningful interaction among them. The universities that were present at the fair include:

1. Arizona State University

2. Bradley University

3. Central Michigan University

4. Colorado State University

5. California Baptist University

6. Drexel University

7. Elmhurst College

8. ECPI University

9. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

10. Florida Institute of Technology

11. Foothill + De-Anza Colleges

12. Full Sail University3

13. George Washington University

14. Michigan Technological University

15. Marist College

16. New York Institute of Technology

17. NYU School of Professional Studies

18. North American University

19. Rochester Institute of Technology

20. Stevens Institute of Technology

21. Tiffin University

22. University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

23. University of Massachusetts Lowell 

24. University of South Florida

25. University of Southern California, Viterbi School of Engineering

26. University of Utah 

27. University of Bridgeport

28. Wayne State University

The students and parents could not only get more information with regard to the various undergraduate subject options available but also got their doubts about the documentation process to study in the U.S.A clarified.

Fun, frolic & More!

On the special occassion of Janmasthami, our adorable kids of the International Kindergarten showed their festive spirit by dressing up like Radha and Krishna. A special assembly was conducted to signify the importance of this festival followed by a fun-filled symbolic Dahi-Handi ceremony.

The symbolic Dahi-Handi celebration thrilled and inspired our kindergarteners who cheered one another in turns, enjoyed the music and danced for the special songs that were being played. Overall, their attempts to break the Dahi-Handi was not just adorable to watch, but a sweet memory for the little ones themselves.

As part of the celebrations, the story of the birth of Lord Krishna was also shared with the students through a special screening.