A League of our own! BRITISH COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS AWARD

The British Council International Schools Award, an enterprise of the British Council aims to bring under its umbrella, schools across the globe working in partnership, together, preparing students of today to face the world tomorrow with all its challenges, by honing their 21st century skills. It makes learning a fun-filled experience, by bringing in a whole-school participation, and also inter-disciplinary. It encourages creativity based experiential learning, through varied projects, worked on through a whole academic year, by linking with schools across the globe on an exchange basis. It involves planning, time management, collaborating and documenting. The key term here is “Internationalism”, through hands-on experience between peers. DRS International School is the recipient of this award, received at the end of a year of working on varied projects, through the academic year 2017-18. The award enables the school to use the kite mark of the British Council for three years, 2018-2021. The prime criteria, is bringing in Internationalism, through hands-on experience of sharing of learning with as many school across the globe, on global topics of interest and importance.

A World of our Own!

DRS International School hosted its 6th Model United Nations Conference, the DRSMUN2K18 from the 23^rd to 25^th of August, 2018, at the school’s campus. A highly anticipated event in the student community of Hyderabad, the conference saw nearly 400 participants from across 35 schools in attendance. The school has associated with the United Nations Information Center for India & Bhutan (UNIC) to make the conference as realistic a simulation as possible of actual proceedings.

The three-day student-event began with an opening ceremony, inaugurated by Mr P. Anand Kumar, IRS, the Additional Commissioner, Hyderabad, GST Commissionerate. The eight committees and panels at the conference had agenda that ranged from those with regional significance such human rights violations along the Line of Control, to those with global significance such as measures to manage the rapid deterioration of the Arctic Region, and the rise of cryptocurrency. The committees saw intense and stimulating discussions over the three days that gave students hands-on experience of discussing, caucusing, drafting, deliberating and voting on resolutions.
Dr. Gaurav Muradia, the Principal, described the conference as, “A call to action that encourages young people to take ownership of the world they live in and take a stand on the issues that matter the most.”

The school’s Directors,Mr A K Agarwal, Mr Sanjay Agarwal and the other dignitaries present, gave away the awards to the participants at the grand closing ceremony held on the evening of the 25th . Besides awarding the best delegate, the best photo-journalist and the best reporter, the school also recognized delegates for their representation with High Commendation, Special Mention & Verbal Mention in the conference. Committee Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons were also applauded for their expertise and for steering the committees ably.

“MUNs such as the DRSMUN2018 are amazing platforms to recognize the power of student leaders as change-makers,” said Ms Janet Fainaian, President, DRSMUN, taking cognizance of the diligence of the Executive Board and the delegates.

DRSMUN2K18- Where Future Leaders Meet!

Hyderabad-August 23, 2018- Marking yet another milestone, DRS International School’s highly awaited 6^th Model United Nations Conference was declared open on the 23^rd of August, 2018 at the school’s campus.

The opening ceremony of the three-day conference saw a footfall of more than 400  participants from 35 schools flock to the campus and sign up in impressive numbers to participate in a conference that promises to be a launchpad for new student voices.

Mr P. Anand Kumar, IRS, the Additional Commissioner, Hyderabad, GST Commissioner-ate, inaugurated the conference and addressed the delegates, urging them to act as future peace-makers, stating that “In a world that is fighting over resources and bearing the brunt of man-made disasters year after year, every delegate at DRSMUN2K18 is ray of hope.”

Also in attendance were Mr A K Agarwal, and Mr Sanjay Agarwal, Directors of DRS International School. Mr A.K. Agarwal, described DRSMUN2K18 as, “a unique platform for future leaders to meet and engage critically with issues that matter the most.” 

Well-established in the MUN circuit, and associated with the United Nations Information Centre for Indian and Bhutan (UNIC), DRSMUN2K18 has given its delegates intensive pre-conference training in writing position papers and drafting resolutions, to ensure they are equipped to take on the high quality of deliberation the conference has come to expect from its delegates over the years. Dr Gaurav Muradia, Principal, DRS International School, shared, “DRSMUN has a strong tradition of nurturing delegates who excel in the arts of diplomacy and deliberation, as well as initiating younger students into the MUN world.”

This year’s line-up of committees include committees that are critical to concerns that are globally significant today, such as the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Continuous Crisis Committee (CCC) besides other committees such as the Human Rights Council (HRC), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). While DISEC discussed the possibilities of establishing a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in the Middle East, the delegates of the UNEP deliberated on measures to manage the rapid deterioration of the Arctic region. The agendas of some committee discussions were far-ranging and were a direct response to world-events. ECOSOC, for instance, had a heated discussion on the rise of crypto-currency and its effect on fiat currency, even as committees such as UNESCO reflected on issues relating to access to education and health care in conflict and post-conflict zones

 Ms Janet Fanaian, the President of DRSMUN2K18 quipped that, “DRSMUN2K18 has several agendas are highly relevant to regional and global contexts,” and added that, “Our delegates have the challenge of deliberating these with responsibility.”

The school, along with Edify Group of Schools were recently recognized by the Global League Institute, London, as ‘Great Places to Study’. “Student conferences and events such as this that have a strong ethos of internationalism, continue to shape DRS International School’s success in its mission to nurture global citizens.”, said Mr Sanjay Agarwal, Director.

Supporting the POI- IB PYP Session on Designing Standalone Assessments

Our homeroom teachers and subject specialists in the PYP explored how to better design assessments that stand outside the Programme of Inquiry, in a professional development session held today. Facilitators discussed the need to incorporate the essential elements, use a balance of tools and strategies, offer differentiated tasks and collect feedback from different stakeholders including the children themselves to make assessment more effective.

Our specialist facilitators took turns to share assessments from their ongoing units and received feedback from the session facilitator, coordinator as well as colleagues. The session provoked interesting discussion on the role of specialist units in supporting, enhancing and strengthening units of inquiry, and how standalone units offer opportunities to develop subject specific skills and conceptual understanding in depth. 

4 ways to make your child more responsible!

All too often, parents struggle with instilling a sense of responsibility in kids and lament that their kids are dependent on them for everything. While its definitely easier said than done, here are some great tips to help and inspire your child to be more responsible:

1) Discuss Consequences and Implications of Actions

Always encourage your child to think ahead about the implications of their words, decisions and actions on the world around them and at the world at large. Resist the urge to preach and spell it out for them, and use a more open-minded and genuinely curious approach. Eg. Asking ‘What will happen if you don’t throw the wrapper in the dry waste bin?’ (chain of consequences- not recycled-ends up in a landfill-global warming) is much better than yelling at them to do it. The Life-Skills Programme at DRSIS encourages students to develop skills like these.

2) Encourage them to Plan Backwards

Whether its homework, creating a revision plan or planning a trip with friends, gentle nudge them into visualizing the final outcome for their goal and planning backwards accordingly. This is a great way to get them to think and plan for smaller goals and actions they need to work on a daily basis and realize their importance.

3) Involve them in Decision Making

Like all human beings, children are not great fans of being told what to do. Involve children in decision making and seek out their thoughts and opinions on choices made as a family that affects them. This gives them greater ownership and involvement, and naturally inspires responsibility as they are now invested in the goal.

4) Get a pet, a plant or any other ‘pet’ project!

Entrust you child with a long-term project like caring for a pet, a plant or even a sibling. This is a healthy way of instilling responsibility, ownership, initiative and empathy in your child and will work wonders on getting them to care about their actions.

There’s no magic pill that can inspire responsibility, but these tips will definitely go a long way in taking the first steps towards making your child more responsible!

Learning beyond the Classroom- Workshop on Outdoor Learning

Trailblazers Adventure Travels, going by the tag line-‘The Outdoor School’ organized a workshop named- ‘Beyond Classroom‘ for teachers from different schools at Pragati Resorts Hyderabad on the 9^th of August. Facilitators from DRSIS, Ms. Rekha Rani and Mr. Sunil Tiwari have attended this workshop. The main objective of this workshop was to train teachers as global leaders in providing outdoor experiences that bring about learning in life.

During this workshop, enriching and unique outdoor activities were conducted. To name a few-

1.      Art and Cosmic Connection- Introduce the Universe and the solar system to students using art, with an activity developed by Monica Aiello and Tyler Aiello. This activity requires an artist’s eye to make sense of science and scientist’s eye to deepen one’s art.

2.      River Puzzle- This activity helps students to brainstorm how land is used along river in their watershed. Teachers have arranged pieces representing places along a river from source to mouth and discuss impacts of downstream in a watershed.

3.      Food Chain and Web Game- An activity that explained a marine version of the existing food chain, introducing plastic as a threat to life in the oceans and Food web game is a fun way to learn about different relationships present in nature between various organisms.

Various activities conducted for teachers in this workshop are quite different from traditional workshops and they provided space for self-discovery, creative thinking and innovation, aspiring to transform the way the students can see the world.

Celebrating Excellence!

DRS International School celebrated the nation’s 72^nd Independence Day by acknowledging the achievements of both the nation and our students. Members of the school management and the parent community graced the occasion and made the day special for our students.

The flag hoisting ceremony, patriotic songs such ‘Ae Watan’, and special dance performances made for a powerful celebration of the struggle for freedom and its significance for school that upholds internationalism. Keeping up with this spirit of celebrating progress, the school honoured students who made stellar achievements in the academic year 2017-18 in various aspects of their life at school. These included student achievers with impressive academic records, attendance, musical and performative abilities, a flair for english, math etc. Students with outstanding club portfolio work were also felicitated.

The address by our Chairman, Shri Dayanand Agarwal, inspired students to take up ownership and responsibility for their little ‘nations’, their families and their school community, to thus contribute to nation building. 

The Dream Team! Inter School Basket Ball & Throw Ball Competition

Our senior boys and girls made us proud with their participation and achievements in the Inter-School Basketball and Throwball tournaments recently organized by Pallavi Model School, on the 7^th and 8^th of August, 2018. Our senior boys came first in the basketball tournament, while our senior girls came third in the throwball tournament, besides also participating in the basketball tournament. The tournament’s theme of ‘Team-work makes the Dream-work’ really did inspire our students. As one among 10 participating schools that took part in the tournament, DRS International School definitely made a mark for itself.

Knowledge is Power! Special Assembly on Quit India Movement and Nagasaki Day

The Nagasaki Day and Quit India Movement Day are observed on the same day- the  9^th of August every year at DRS International School. The morning assembly on this historic day saw students reflect on the significance of both these days. Our students gave a presentation on the sequence of the events that unfolded on both these days, and the roles individuals played in them. The informative assembly presentation was followed by an interactive quiz to add a fun dimension to the assembly.

The ‘Fat Man’ was the code-name of the atomic bomb that destroyed more than 60,000 people in Nagasaki, Japan. The speakers informed the assembly that the inventor of the atomic bomb, Albert Einstein, was remorseful of his invention which was used for such a destructive purpose. This also helped students to understand the importance of this day and the ethical implications of having and producing knowledge that could fall into the wrong hands!

Accepting Differences!

The morning assembly on the 13^th of August, 2018 saw our senior students make a special presentation on the theme of the month, ‘Acceptance’. Students enacted a short skit that portrayed how a child learned to overcome prejudice, bias and intolerance through the power of love and acceptance. The skit in particular, focused on how racism can be combated through not just tolerance, but true acceptance. The assembly inspired the gathering to introspect about prejudices and discover the true meaning of acceptance.

Quadrants!

Mini-workshops in the residential wing energize our residential students and inspire them to think critically and creatively besides communicating more effectively. Our residential students of Grades IV-VII had a one-of-kind session on the 12^th of August, 2018 that invited them to explore different emotions and communication styles through a classic improvisational activity.

Four quadrants chalked out in the atrium was the center of the action. Students worked in pairs and groups to improvise scenes assigned to them, quickly changing their emotions and language as they stepped across each quadrant. The game-format of the activity, made them work in tandem with their partners and respond to the changing scenarios and dialogues with spontaneity and creativity. Besides being fun and challenging, the session helped students improve their verbal communication skills and confidence.

Coffee Morning- Learning in Action in PYP!

The IB PYP Wing at DRS International School hosted a Coffee Morning on the 11^th of August, 2018 to involve the parent community in their child’s inquiry process and its assessment. Parents visited their children’s classrooms and enjoyed the opportunity to see learning in action!

Across grade levels, students took centre-stage to share their reflections on their most recent Unit of Inquiry. They shared their insights from throughout the inquiry process and showcased their personal and collective findings with enthusiasm. The units of inquiry were from a broad selection of the transdisciplinary themes, and included units such as ‘Community Helpers’, ‘Tribes’, ‘Types of Houses’, ‘Human Rights’, ‘The Human Body’ and many more. Students represented their learning through a variety of modes including poems, role-plays, poster displays, performances and even a unique puppet show!

The event certainly helped bolster the parent community’s understanding of the IB Philosophy and its alignment with the school vision and mission. Parents were keenly involved in making connections between the curriculum design and their child’s learning, which they assessed using holistic rubrics that covered a range of criteria. Our students took feedback from their parents with open-mindedness, and loved the interactive assessing process.

How can I build a better relationship with my child?

A close bond between parents and children is crucial in their directing the psychological growth and development. The parent-child relationship has far-reaching consequences throughout the lifetime of an individual, and affects everything from their health to the major life decisions they make. If you’ve been thinking about how to improve the relationship between your child and you, we have some tips for you to try:
Treat your child considerately!
Children don’t always wear their hearts on their sleeve, but often do have emotions that run deep. Be sensitive to your child’s feelings and anticipate their emotional responses before making major decisions that affect them. Involve them in making decisions and make them feel that their thoughts and feelings matter. Do think twice before venting out your frustration on them or subjecting them to an emotional outburst-children often don’t have the emotional resources to be as resilient as adults.  If your child has been unusually withdrawn or silent, make an effort to reach out to them and ask them what’s going on. The fact that you notice their emotions means more to your child that he or she lets on.

Let learning be a two-way street!
Like all human beings, children love feeling respected and listened to. The parent-child relationship is usually a one-way street, with parents usually always telling the child what to do, how to behave and how things work the way they do. Inverting this equation does wonders for improving bonding. For a change, ask your child open-ended questions and seek their thoughts and opinions. The next time your child asks you what they should do, ask them what they would like to do and why. This is a great way to build their trust and confidence, and for you to learn something new.
Be a part of their world!
Children only open up to us when we involve themselves in their world. Whether it's playing a game, or joining them in something they are exploring, spend quality time with your child on their terms. Follow their lead and try out things they are interested in. Over time, you will find your child beginning to share things with you, without you having to ask.

Mix it up!
Think you know your child completely? Take your child on a surprise long-drive or take them for a nature walk, with no strings attached. A change of scene or a break from the routine, can bring out aspects of your child you have not discovered yet and get the two of you to bond better. Getting to know each other is easier, away from everyday expectations and rules.
When I was a child…
Share stories and snippets from your own life with your child. Letting them on your adventures and mischief from the past will let them see you in a new light, and love you even more for it. Don’t shy away from talking about tough times, mistakes or struggles- there’s probably a lot your child can learn from you in those respects.
Have family rituals!
Whether its a ‘no-TV’ family dinner, a special welcome home hug or a good night song, have a regular practice or a ritual that gives an opportunity for the family to come together at least once in a day. This can be a balm when either you or a child is going through a tough time and needs some extra support.
Building a strong bond with your child is an important cornerstone of your relationship and it is the foundation on which they will build their own identities as well as their relationships with the world. So do invest time, thought and energy in getting in right, and don’t let minor setbacks dishearten you.

Upcycling Ideas! Club Meet

The first club meet of August inspired our students with interesting challenges and projects that got their creative juices flowing. The MUN Club had quite a happening meet with each member contributing to the preparations of DRSMUN2018, as well as exploring the basics of writing position papers. The Cuisine Club put together delicious and appetizing caramel popcorn, while the Visual Arts Club worked on creative and colourful masks.
Meanwhile, other clubs too made the most of the meet. The members of the Design & Technology Club worked on creating and editing videos for Independence Day, even as members of the Humane Club created table-mats with collages of news and updates from the tech-world, for a noble cause. The Eco-sustainability Club made eco-friendly bags by reusing and ‘upcycling’ old t-shirts.

Fun with Fallacies! Residential Session

Our residential students of Grade XI and IBDP 1 had a stimulating and thought-provoking session on spotting Fallacies on the 5th of August, 2018. Fallacies are errors or wrong moves in logical reasoning that weaken our ability to communicate and justify our ideas and positions. In the session, students explored around ten fallacies including fallacies such as Ad Hominem, Ad Populum, Hasty Generalizations, the Slippery Slope Fallacy, the Black and White Fallacy and the Red Herring. Students linked the fallacies to each other and found connections to their real-life experiences as part of the whole group discussion. Following this, students worked in small teams to connect a designated set of fallacies and act them out through role-plays which they scripted and improvised on the spot, and through which they challenged their peers to identify the logical errors involved. Students enjoyed the session, and shared that they felt better equipped to tackle debates, argumentative writing and tricky conversations in general!

Remembering Hiroshima! Special Assembly-Hiroshima Day

Our students of both the Primary and Secondary Wings conducted special assemblies on 6th August, 2018 to observe Hiroshima Day and its significance, as it is the 73^rd anniversary of the tragic genocide. Students spoke about the devastating effects of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima and the need to build and maintain world peace and security through intercultural understanding and international mindedness, both values that our school has built into the curriculum in many ways. Additionally, the students of Grade VIII also gave an acronym-inspired presentation on the theme of the month ‘acceptance’ in the senior assembly

Understanding Governance! Grade- IV Field trip to Telangana Bhavan

On the 23^rd of July, 2018 our students of Grade-IV paid a visit to the Telangana Bhavan, under the theme: ‘How We Organize Ourselves ‘and the central idea ‘Government systems evolve to influence the lives of citizens.’ They had an opportunity to observe the meeting rooms, The Chief Minister cabin and understand how the MLA and MPT ’s  Government of Telangana work together collaboratively with integrity to develop the state. The Mayor of GHMC Bonthu Rammohan interacted with the students and explained to them his role and responsibilities to make our city the best place to live in. He shared the ideas and our government’s future plan to achieve the goal. He inspired our students to spread awareness among citizens to be responsible to follow traffic rules, pay taxes, help, and care for all as global citizens.

DRSIS Roars for Tiger Conservation

International Tiger Day is observed on July 29th of every year.
On the occasion of International Tiger Day on July 29th, an interactive awareness programme was organized at Nehru Zoological Park. This event was attended by students of IBDP 1 and 2 from DRS International school.
The group of 20 students prepared a role play and pieces of artwork as part of their CAS project, elucidating the theme of tiger conservation.

The programme was organized by ‘Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society’, a voluntary organization aimed at the protection of tigers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. There were 20 schools across Hyderabad that took part in this, putting forward their best of creativity and artistic skills.
Despite having only 2 days for preparation, the IBDP students prepared a variety of attractive visuals such as picture collages, slogans, banners, and posters. This was accompanied by an entertaining as well as an enlightening street play. The skit focused upon the ecology of tigers, highlighting their role and position in the food chain. It also communicated the significance of tigers in the environment, why they need to be conserved and how we as responsible citizens can make our handprint in saving the tigers.

The artwork mainly concentrated on both the future and the past of these majestic creatures, illustrating their demise as a repercussion of mankind’s vile behavior. The students showcased two different perspectives of how they envisioned the future to turn out, unless we take some action against it, comparing it to their former state and environment.

The DP students also participated in a few activities planned by the organizing committee such as face painting, recognition of tiger stripe patterns and bingo. This added to the students’ knowledge about the tigers. Overall, the event was executed with success and the students savored every experience.
By- Kaushal Labba, Neha Cheruku and Arushi Anandh.

When Missions Meet! House Meet

The first House-Meet of the month was a true meeting of the minds, with students and facilitators of different houses coming together to plan to make the most of the events and opportunities lined up for them in the month of August.

With the Inter-House Book-mark Making and Inter-House Gymnastics Competition lined up for the Grades I & II, the Inter-House Mads Ads Competition scheduled for Grades III to V,  as well as the Inter-House Karate and Debate Competitions planned for the secondary and senior secondary students across the weeks, planning and preparation for these competitions was definitely high on the agenda. House-spirit was definitely in the air, with many houses felicitating their new captains and deputies.

Curiosity! Theme of the Month ‘Curiosity’

“The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”-Albert Einstein.

Our students of Grade VIII conducted yesterday’s morning assembly on Theme of the Month 'Curiosity’. Students collaborated theme of the month with the life of Einstein; they also made an impact through a skit which was on the usage of water in the past, present, and future, the presentation was fluid and spontaneous.

Liberal Arts and Beyond! FLAMES University Visit, Pune

Ms.Sadhana Badrinath from FLAMES University, Pune, visited our school and took up a career guidance session exclusively for Grades XI and XII students in which she explained in detail the 250+ courses offered as majors and minors by the University. The session also focused on the various opportunities available for the present and potential students to explore the fields of their interest, along with the pre-requisites for the admission process. With numerous courses available to pursue in this liberal arts university, the students were keen to know more.