A Yearbook to Remember

My First Year as Coordinator at an International School

When I was entrusted with the role of yearbook coordinator at an International School in Hong Kong, I knew it would be a rewarding challenge. While the team embarked on a journey to craft a vivid, 200-page memento that would capture the essence of our primary, springboard, and secondary school communities, I also started to develop a robust and lasting extra-curricular for our students.

Prior to this year, the school had not had a dedicated yearbook club or production process driven by students. It was up to me and my team to establish a foundation for what would become an annual tradition. From the outset, our small but passionate group tackled every aspect of the yearbook’s production with meticulous care and creativity.

We meticulously organised school photographs, class pages and student interviews, weaving together a tapestry of experiences that would resonate with our readers. The design process was a true collaborative effort, as we thoughtfully curated the layout and content of each page to bring our vision to life.

Watching the yearbook take shape was a profoundly fulfilling experience. With each new section and spread, we poured our hearts into preserving the unique spirit of our international school. The vibrant class pages, featured articles, and eye-catching advertisements all came together to create a glossy, hardcover keepsake that exceeded our wildest expectations.

The true reward, however, came when we distributed the finished yearbooks to our students and their families. The joy and pride on their faces as they thumbed through the pages was a testament to the power of our collective efforts. This tangible memento had become a lasting symbol of the community we had worked so hard to capture. I can’t begin to express how I appreciated seeing students hugging their yearbooks as they walked from class to class, asking peers and teachers to sign the covers.

As I look ahead to next year’s yearbook, I’m filled with excitement and a renewed sense of purpose. In my second year as coordinator, I’m eager to build upon the foundation we’ve laid, with a focus on increasing student involvement and establishing a lasting structure of leadership and mentorship. By empowering more of our talented students to take an active role in the yearbook’s production, I’m confident we can create an even more impressive and meaningful keepsake that truly captures the vibrant spirit of our international school community.

Diocesan Lives: A blog about teen resilience in a pandemic

Pedagogy

As an educator, I understand the importance of social-emotional learning, especially during a time when students are facing unprecedented challenges. With Hong Kong’s strict COVID lockdown in 2022, it was essential to create an assignment that would help students feel connected to one another, despite being physically apart.

To promote connection, routine, and emotional safety, I assigned the task of creating a class blog to English 2C (grade 8, for my fellow Canadians) students at Diocesan Girls’ School in Hong Kong. The aim was to give students an outlet to share their unique experiences, emotions, and stories. By creating a collective blog, students could connect with each other, build a sense of community, and develop their social and emotional skills.

The blog allowed students to showcase their individuality, express their thoughts and feelings, and connect with others who were going through similar situations. Through this assignment, students could learn from each other, develop empathy, and build relationships that transcended their physical isolation.

The assignment was designed to promote critical thinking and digital literacy, which are essential skills in today’s world. By creating and managing their blog, students learned how to use various digital tools and develop their online communication skills.

Overall, this assignment was not only about academic learning but also about fostering social-emotional development, digital literacy, and community building. It was a way to support students during a challenging time and help them develop the skills they need to navigate the digital age.

Despite facing unprecedented challenges, the students of English 2C showed remarkable bravery in expressing their thoughts and feelings on the class blog. They opened up about their struggles with isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty, revealing a level of vulnerability that was both inspiring and humbling. The students’ willingness to share their experiences with each other was a testament to their resilience and determination to connect with others despite the physical distance.

The students’ openness and vulnerability were also evident in the creativity and honesty of their blog posts. They shared personal stories, reflections, and insights into their daily lives during the lockdown, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities of this experience. Their willingness to express themselves through writing and multimedia was impressive and inspiring, and it showed how digital tools can be used to foster connection and community during challenging times.

It was an honor to witness their growth and development as they navigated this challenging time, and I am confident that they will continue to make a positive impact on their communities and the world.

While their last names have been removed, the website remains private to protect the students. It is open to viewing upon request.

Project-Based Lesson Plan: My Healthy Body

Education, Pedagogy, Uncategorized

This is a Project-Based Lesson Plan about healthy living for Kindergarten students.

At a time when health seems like the world’s primary concern, this lesson plan can help refocus and re-energize your young students. This project was created with home isolation/ quarantine in mind. Feel free to use this in your own classroom. If you do, please let me know your thoughts!

This slideshow gives a quick overview of the project:

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Project Description

Students explore healthy living over the course of 6 weeks. They learn about exercise— how to move their bodies and create dynamic workout routines for their peers. They learn about nutrition—where food comes from, design simple meal plans, and finally prepare a balanced dish with their family. Social-emotional health is an important aspect of healthy living, so in this PBL students learn about the value of cooperation, communication, and healthy quality time with family.

Plan for Monitoring

Assessing as projects progress is essential to a successful PBL. It helps students by giving them the information to reflect on their own learning, and it helps teachers by gathering data to improve instruction. It’s a win-win! In this project, I will do weekly assessments.

I decided to go with a single-point rubric because of the the age of my ELL kindergarten students. They can’t even read yet, and I think simplicity will help them focus on key goals and expectations. Single point rubrics also allow for more room for feedback. As Jennifer Gonzalez writes in her blog, “Because teachers must specify key problem areas and notable areas of excellence for that particular student, rather than choosing from a list of generic descriptions.” I focused on assessing 21st Century Skills and reward a growth mindset.

Week 1: I will be assessing if they understand the core content and concepts through check-ins and watching each individual’s class participation.

Week 2: I will be assessing if students understand the project and if they are collaborating well through team-check ins to ask about their project plan.

Week 3: I will be evaluating their work with a rubric.

Healthy Bodies: Exercise Rubric
Areas for Improvement	Criteria	Proof of Exceeding Standards
	Participation: Comes to class prepared with ideas. Completes tasks on time. Physically moves for exercises.
	Collaboration: Helps solve problems and manage conflicts in groups. Gives, receives and uses feedback to others in a polite and positive manner.
	Creativity: Comes up with ideas in movements and delivery of exercise routine.
	Grasp of material: Safe and effective exercise movements. Directs class using clear instructions learned in class.

Week 4: I will be assessing if they understand the core content and concepts through check-ins and watching each individual’s class participation and completion of worksheets.

Week 5: I will be assessing if students understand the project and if they are communicating and collaborating well with their parents through team-check ins to ask about their project plan.

Week 6: I will be evaluating their work with a rubric.

Healthy Bodies: Food Rubric
Areas for Improvement	Criteria	Proof of Exceeding Standards
	Problem Solving: Student tries to see the world around them and make decisions based on the available data, i.e. ingredients that are already available in their home to create a dish.
	Media Literacy: Student takes photos or videos and documents their experience. Student is able to upload and present media.
	Presentation: Student presents their experience to the class in a clear and descriptive manner. Students answer all guiding questions.
	Social and Cultural Skills: Student gives peers positive, polite comments. Shows patience, kindness, and cross-cultural understanding.

Mobile and Project-Based Learning [Podcast]

Education, Journalism, Pedagogy

This is a podcast about a game-centered, and creative project based assignment that integrates mobile learning. How can students use mobile technologies in the classroom to enhance project-based learning? Have a listen!

Special thanks to Sian Eatwell, Bensound.com, and Brianna Hugh.

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