How to make sure my child is safe online?

Here at DRS International School, we share your concern for your child’s safety- both online and offline. The Internet is an extension of the real world, and the dangers its presents are as real as the ones in the physical world. So in a technology enabled world where our kids are often more tech-savvy than us, how do we keep our kids safe online? Read on for our top six tips to keep your child safe online.

• Keep the lines of communication open

Trust is key when it comes to cyber safety and its only possible when there is open and transparent communication between parents and children. If you listen to your child without judgement, he or she is more likely to open up to you about his or her life online. Ask open-ended questions wherever possible and share tidbits from your online activities as well to keep the conversation going. It is important to stay connected to your child on any social media platforms he or she uses including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat etc as well instant messaging services such as Whatsapp and IMO.

• Educate yourself first

Would you let your child physically go to a place you haven’t visited yourself? The same goes for the online world. If you want to keep your child safe online, its imperative to keep up to date with the latest apps, platforms and internet trends even if they don’t personally interest you much. This can also help strengthen the bond between you and your kid as you will have more in common to talk about. Children learn how to use ICT early on in the IB PYP, Cambridge Curriculum and CBSE, so it becomes important to keep pace with them.

• Establish essential agreements

It is important to decide on and agree to some common ground rules for browsing along with your kids and what these rules are will depend on your parenting styles. While some parents may want their child to share all their passwords until they reach a certain age in exchange for the wifi password, other parents may opt for a more independent approach. Some parents may want to clearly list out restricted sites, while others may want their kids to only browse while accompanied or monitored by an adult. You can also ask your child to suggest some rules and then draw up a mutual contract. You can check out websites like safekids.com for examples. It is a good idea to print out these rules and display them near the home PC or any ‘gadget hotspot’.

• Keep regular tabs

It’s a good idea to check in on the list of downloaded apps, your child’s friend’s list, browsing history and activity on social media in general. As ‘snooping’ may create trust issues, it is better to let your child know that this is something he or she can expect you to do as long as he or she is a minor. Your ISP, browsers, firewalls and search engines also offer many parental control options and settings you can make the most of.

• Teach netiquette

One golden rule for internet safety is ‘never do anything online that you wouldn’t do offline‘. The values we teach children apply online as well. Teach your child early on it is important to not to talk to strangers online, just as you wouldn’t offline. Sharing passwords, sending or receiving images, opening attachments etc to and from strangers is a definite NO. Explain to your child that nothing ever gets deleted online and that it is important to never post or share anything online they wouldn’t be comfortable with you seeing.

• Partner with the School

At DRS International School, we believe that keeping your child safe online is important in school as well and we have several measures in place to ensure that. As an international school, DRS International School’s Student Wellness Program also focuses on cyber safety. If you have any concerns about your child’s online safety, you can always contact us or get in touch with your child’s Homeroom Facilitators, or write to us at smart.p@drsinternational.com for more parenting tips.

The Circle of Seasons!

“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.”

– Stanley Horowitz

The students of IB PYP wing from Grades I-V had an Inter-House Fancy Dress Competition for which the theme was Seasons. The children dressed up in fancy attire representing the seasons- Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, Winter and Spring. The students were colorfully dressed according to their favorite seasons and carried appropriate props to make their performance the best one.

The criteria for judging the competition were costume, confidence, creativity and expression. The colourful competition was fun one to behold with witty dialogues and impressive costumes.

Blessed for Life!

On 10th February, 2018, DRSIS witnessed the most awaited occasion of the year, the Blessing Ceremony which signifies the shower of blessings by the teachers on the outgoing batches of Grade- X & XII.

The Day started with invoking the blessings of the Almighty with a prayer song sung by the teachers. The song mesmerized everyone. It was an obeisance to the Goddess of Learning. The students of Grade X & XII reminisced about their days of schooling and shared their memories about the school and how school has transformed them from a tiny tot to the responsible and growing citizens. It created moments of nostalgia among teachers, students and their parents.

The students were then called upon to light a candle of hope and walk on to the stage to collect their mementos from their teachers and guides.

Our Principal, Dr Muradia, spoke about the importance of being self organized and blessed the students and gave them the school’s best wishes. The students solemnly made a promise to keep in touch with the school and each other for life.

How can I do well in my exams? Top Ten tips to Study Smart!

This is the question on every student’s mind with the exam season around the corner. It’s normal to feel anxious or nervous as the exams approach, but here at DRS International School we believe that assessments are nothing to worry about- they are a part of learning. With the right approach and support, and our top ten tips to do well in exams, you can get through the exams with confidence:

Here are our top ten tips for preparing well your exams:

Break it down

Studying can seem daunting when you don’t know where to start. It’s a good idea to clearly identify the syllabus, the chapters being tested and the notes you need to prepare well. You can look at our Year Plan and Revision Plans for each class for examples. Once you do this, break down the material into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Schedule

Grab a chart and a marker or even your Google Calendar and just distribute these smaller chunks over the days you have left. Schedule more to study on Sundays and holidays, and less when you have lighter days. Are you night owl or a morning bird? It can be helpful to have blocks of study-time when your concentration level is at its best. Try to schedule more difficult topics to tackle when you are at your best.

Mind Maps

If a particular unit or chapter is too long or difficult, it’s a good idea to get a grip on it by making a large overview of the lesson by creating a mind map of its most important aspects. Mind-mapping helps you make connections between the different elements of the lesson and will give you the big picture in a matter of minutes. This works especially well for subjects like History, Economics, Biology, Geography, Entrepreneurship etc.

SQ3R

Too many students waste time reading their text books over and over again, only to have poor understanding and recall. Effective reading skills are important if you want to do well in your exams. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite & Review. You can read more about the technique here.

Memory Techniques

While learning at DRS International School is about inquiry and understanding, there are some things you do need to remember. Memory techniques like the Memory Palace, Mnemonics and Acronyms, Flash Cards etc help you remember better, by tapping into the power of visual thinking.

Buddy System

Two heads are always better than one! If you have a group of friends with whom you can study, it can be a good idea to divide chapters amongst yourselves and teach it to each other. Alternatively, you can also have study sessions to quiz each other or develop some fun acronyms together. Your weakness could be your friend’s strength!

Take breaks

This might sound too good to be true, but research suggests that the human mind focuses better when it gets a break every 50 minutes or so. Ensure you take a ten minute break for every 50 minutes of study. Breaks can refresh you and be the reward that can help motivate you to get through each session. Meditate, do some jumping jacks or go for a brisk walk! If you have a favourite sport, ten minutes a good time to let go of steam!

Movement

Studying can literally be a pain if you ‘sit and study’. Try and vary where you study and how for every study session. Make the most of natural light, definitely avoid your bed and wherever possible, try to incorporate movement into your study sessions. Recap as you walk or try to dance to the tune of the periodic table!

Sleep

Psychologists believe that getting enough sleep is the key to performing well. The human brain processes information from the day and codes it into the long-term memory when you get enough rest. Staying up all night can lower your chances of being able to remember what you learned the day before.

Visualization

Research also indicates that people who visualize successful outcomes and results are better motivated and therefore tend to perform better than those who don’t. So what are you waiting for? Close your eyes and see yourself handing in that answer sheet with a big smile!

Still feeling nervous? Need more support? Meet or get in touch with our counsellors at career.counsellor@drsinternational.com or make the most of our Student Wellness Programme.

Creative Careers!

The students of DRS International School had a workshop on career counseling by Mr. Varun, representative of Annapurna International School of Film & Media (AISFM) for pursuing bachelors and masters in areas like Film Making, Photography, Graphic Designing, Animation, Advertising and Digital Marketing.

He came up with new concepts like Anthromorphism- which fascinated the students to pursue a career in the world of entertainment industry and explained about the usage of smart phones and technology for creative purpose.

He explained the concepts through case studies. He also shared statistics about India’s production. He spoke about the demand of creativity in the field of cartoon making, gaming, architecture, etc.

Mr. Varun also told the students about the career growth in the entertainment industry and also shared few top industries names that are into entertainment. He told the students that industries depend on creative talent in which creativity is required in addition to technology especially in terms of problem-solving and thinking ‘out of the box’. He also shared few tips on how to prepare for a future in creative fields along with degree programs, visual effects, and graphics behind movie scenes.

Mr. Nitin from AISFM spoke about the Art of Acting, communication of stories and how is acting related to animation. He also shared his experiences in the entertainment industry.

This workshop conducted by AISFM helped students broaden their career and educational prospects and provoked them into considering alternative and creative paths.

Idealizing Truth!

An interesting and inspiring dream interview was enacted by the secondary students of Grade-IX at DRS International School by playing roles of legendary personalities such as Mother Teresa, Marie Curie, Swami Vivekananda, etc, in a form of a skit.

Through this skit the students learned about the life teachings of these famous personalities. The students also sang patriotic songs giving tribute to Indian Army. Ms. Shivani, DRSIS Facilitator, gave a sensitizing speech on the attack on Indian Army Quarters. The assembly was based on the Theme of the month- TRUTHFULNESS in relation with the personalities who followed the path of truth.

Career Crossroads!

A Parent Orientation Seminar was conducted for the parents of our current Grade X students regarding choice of curricula, subjects, and universities as well as to explain how the school will be supporting students through the decision making process.

The module on the different choice of curricula was led by Vice Principal, Mr Rudolf Noronha and the IBDP Coordinator, Ms. Abha for the curriculum and subject choices offered in CBSE & IBDP in Grade XI at DRS International School. The module shared how the two curricula would prepare students for their future and the range of subject electives and co-curricular activities each curriculum offers.

The session also shared with parents how the school is partnering with Aakash Institute to help the students prepare for IIT-JEE and competitive exams depending on their career paths.

The orientation session also shared with students the services offered by our University Placements Cell. The module was concluded by Mr. Karthik who gave a presentation regarding the factors which play an integral role while selecting majors, universities and also elaborated on the process that help students secure admissions in top universities world-wide.