From Avenor to Medicine

 Following an extremely rigorous admission and selection process, Tiberiu, an Avenor College 12 grade student, is admitted to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Groningen, a university with tradition and reputation in Europe, with four Nobel laureates and an impressive list of graduates. His passion for science, his excellent academic results and a mix of specific skills developed over time have offered Tibi one of the first places on the admission list.

Tell us about the admission process to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Groningen.

Unlike the admission process to other specializations, in the application process for Medicine School in University of Groningen there was no need to send personal essays, letters of recommendation, CVs or portfolios. With thousands of applications each year, the only way to distinguish between candidates is an internal examination, organized by the university. Each year, this exam has a different medical topic, which is communicated to candidates a few weeks in advance. This year, the topic was palliative care for patients with heart failure. To prepare for this exam, you must learn in detail the bibliography provided by the university (consisting of scientific articles and excerpts from anatomy textbooks) and you need advanced knowledge of chemistry, biology and physics.

In addition to the theoretical exam, there is also a non-cognitive test of professional ethics, in which you have to evaluate on a scale from 1 to 5 several situations from a moral point of view. Unfortunately, you cannot prepare for this exam, because it tests the way you would respond to a variety of situations, which you will often face during your medical studies.

Even if they have between 1000 and 1500 candidates each year, the number of places has remained constant for some time: 410, of which only 110 are in English, the rest being in Dutch. Although the competition was intense this year – over 1350 people applied – I managed to rank 3rd among international students and 21st among all students who applied (Dutch and international).

What were your strong points to get a place at Groningen?

In addition to the academic results, which most universities evaluate, I think the extracurricular activities I took part in were very important: the STEM Olympiad in Science and Mathematics, the Crest Club, which combines theory with practice in science, internships and volunteering. The more you get involved in different activities, the more opportunities you have to develop yourself and gain new skills. However, it is important to balance these activities with your personal well-being.

For the theoretical exam, I am sure that my ability to quickly memorize information and my solid background in the science field helped me a lot. Although the bibliography of about a hundred pages seemed scary the moment I received it, I got help from my teachers and my parents who supported me all the way. It also mattered that I liked this field and that the information I received was interesting to me: how to care for patients with heart failure, the problems that are currently encountered in this area, the drugs and devices used in treatment, etc. I’m sure I couldn’t have learned so effectively in another domain for which I have no passion.

For the non-cognitive exam, I admit that, although I was ranked in the top 10%, I did not prepare in any way, but it is important to have skills that you would need as a doctor: empathy, logic, compassion, the desire to take the initiative and to defend the vulnerable, for example. Although the situations in the exam may seem superficial at first glance, it is important to be careful about the answers you offer.

What is the optimal mix between academic results and involvement in extracurricular projects for a candidate at Groningen?

To have a successful application, it is not enough just to have good academic results in mathematics, biology and – perhaps most importantly – chemistry. Internships and extracurricular activities are also an important part of preparing a future student.

Last year I had the opportunity to participate in a series of internships organized by the school in several medical specializations, where I could see live what it means to be a doctor. Observing and participating in several consultations and surgeries gave me the chance to deepen the experiences of a doctor’s professional life and to confirm that this is the path I want to follow.

I did not neglect to participate in other extracurricular activities, which gave me the opportunity to look at medicine from several points of view. The “Avenor Christmas Charity Fair” project, organized together with my colleague Ana-Caterina, put me in the position to face various social causes – the charity we supported in 2020, for example, helped over 700 vulnerable elderly people in rural areas. Other activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh program and the MUN debates in which I participated, also helped me to evolve.

Why did you choose Groningen in the context of offering a limited number of places in English and long-term Medicine in Dutch?

Founded over 400 years ago, with four Nobel laureates and a list of well-known graduates, such as the mathematician Johann Bernoulli, Aletta Jacobs – one of the world’s first female doctors – and many members of the Dutch royal family, Groningen has a special reputation, being one of the top universities in Europe.

The Groningen medical course is unique in Europe – and probably in the world – because it offers a patient-centered approach: students get in touch with patients from the first year of study and follow a problem-solving programme. This curriculum is probably one of the reasons why the University of Groningen School of Medicine ranks 51st in the world and in the top 3 English-language medical schools in the EU.

Although only the first 3 years are in English, the next 3 being in Dutch, the university provides free Dutch courses to all students, thus making the learning process easier for international students. The language itself seems pretty easy to learn, being similar to English and German, so I don’t worry too much about it.

How do you think Avenor helped you in the admission to a prestigious university in Europe? Do you think that a student who follows the British curriculum has more advantages? If so, how?

Although I came to Avenor only 2 years ago, I felt from day one that I had the unconditional support of everyone here. I am not referring here strictly to my scholarship status, but also to the general relations with my colleagues, with the teachers in the class, but also with the school administration. Although I did not have a private counselor to help me with my college application, the school counselors helped me and constantly advised me on my career path and the requirements and specifics of the universities I applied to. The teachers have always supported me in choosing the most suitable path for me and I especially thank the chemistry teacher, Laura Băjenaru, who shared with me significant details from her personal experience in this field, supported and encouraged me to continue on this path of studying science.

The main advantage of the British program over the Romanian one is that it allows you, since the 9th grade, to focus on the subjects that you like and that you want to follow in the future. This is very helpful especially in the 11th and 12th grades: while in the Romanian system a student who wants to apply to medicine must also attend many additional classes, a student in the British system only studies the subjects he is interested in.

Another important advantage is that the British program is constantly updated. Take biology, for example, while textbooks in the Romanian system were written a few decades ago, the British curriculum examines the latest innovations in biotechnology, such as microarrays, genetic modification through the CRISPR mechanism and genetic therapies.

What should be the path and interests of a 9th grade High School student who wants a career in medicine to increase his or her chances of being admitted at a university like Groningen?

I believe that for any future scientist, skills that help you learn and understand new things are very important, for example critical thinking, problem solving, adaptability and self-confidence. Given that in the field of science new things are always discovered and you always have something to learn, these skills serve as a foundation on which other knowledge can be based later.

For a doctor, in addition to the above skills, good social skills are also needed. A good doctor is empathetic, altruistic, responsible and honest. These are, moreover, the qualities that universities seek in their future students and which should be highlighted in essays and letters of intent.

For any selection procedure you obviously need advanced knowledge of mathematics and science: chemistry, biology and physics. I studied chemistry, mathematics and biology at A2-level (two years of study) and physics and computer science at AS-level (one year).

What do you hope to find in Groningen? What are your plans for the future?

 

Although at the moment I am not sure about my plans for the future, I am sure that I will have many options once I finish my studies in Groningen. The medical school at the University of Groningen gives you the opportunity to focus on several potential careers: doctor (my favorite specialties would be genetics, neurology and psychiatry), medical research or health policy advisor. It remains to be seen which of these areas will attract me the most and which one I will choose.

 

Registrations for Secondary School are Open

7 years after the opening of Avenor High School, we are happy to live an extraordinary moment in the evolution of our school. The opening of a new building, dedicated exclusively to students in grades 6-12, creates new opportunities for students who want to join us and are waiting for a place at Avenor.

So, on the 5th of May, we are organising an event dedicated to these families, in order to give them the opportunity to get to know our students and teachers and to find out directly from them about the education at Avenor.

“We are always happy to tell the story of our school through our own learning experiences. I came to Avenor in the 5th grade and so far, until the 10th grade, I’ve been involved as coordinator in dozens of projects. Among them is the Avenor Mentorship Programme that I started in the 6th grade, with guests such as Pavel Bartoș, Ana Consulea and Tedy Ursuleanu. As President of the Student Council, I implemented the Avenor Hoodie, and this year I have the honor of coordinating TEDxYouth@AvenorCollege together with 22 of the hardest working people I know. I think that in all these experiences it helped me a lot that I had my colleagues by my side, that our teachers guided us with skill and clarity offering us opportunities that we could not have accessed on our own. At Avenor we have a very open environment for any initiative, and I am sure that many more projects will follow.” says Sandra Pitu, one of the hosts of this event.

“This is a very exciting moment in the evolution of our school. We are preparing to open a new building that will host over 250 students next year. Our High School has developed very well in the last years. We have 3 generations of graduates now studying in prestigious universities and our programmes have diversified a lot in the meantime. We want to create opportunities for the round development of our students.

We’re glad that 12th graders have already started to receive offers from universities, and we were thrilled to learn that Andrei, one of our 12th graders, has been admitted to Harvard. ” – Diana Segărceanu, Executive Director of Avenor College.

 

Avenor College follows the British curriculum

The IGCSE – International General Certificate of Secondary Education – covers the first two years of High School – Grades 9 and 10 in the Romanian system / Years 10 and 11 of KS4 in the British system.

Advanced AS/A2 – The Advanced Level Examination – has two parts: AS and A2. The Advanced level covers the final two years of high school – Grades 11 and 12 in the Romanian system/ Years 12 and 13 of KS5 in the British system – and prepares students for University admission.

The middle school offers Avenor students the opportunity to choose their line of study. Starting with the 6th grade, a personalised school orientation programme is outlined. Students have the opportunity to choose to study Mathematics, English and Science in the British system and take the specific assessments or to study Mathematics and the Romanian language in the national system and take the National Evaluation exams.

 

From Avenor to Harvard

For 5 months, Andrei, a grade 12 student at Avenor College, prepared applications for 13 universities around the world. He wrote essays, prepared his portfolios, participated in interviews and told his story.

It was a demanding, tiring and stressful endeavor.

He was admitted to NYU Abu Dhabi and Drexel University but all the other US universities he applied to either rejected him or put him on the waiting list or offered him insufficient scholarships. He was waiting for one last response from overseas, and in the meantime he was joking with his family about what the Harvard rejection letter looked like.

The morning he received the answer, he thought he was still dreaming while reading the admission message. He is still trying to get acquainted with the idea that he is admitted to the most prestigious university in the world with a specialization in Film and Visual Studies.

 

How is the admission process at Harvard?

The admission process is a complex one, which beyond the evaluation of academic results involves several essays through which you have the opportunity to present yourself as a person, but in which you must also present your activity, co-curricular projects, interests and passions. The other components of the admission process are the portfolio and the interview, to which all candidates are invited, with few exceptions.

What were the topics you covered in the essays?

In the application I included three essays that had the role of portraying me. The first one was about me, who I am, my family and my passion for film. In this essay I tried to tell how I started making films and how this activity helped me to express myself especially in the context in which I have been hearing impaired since childhood. Here I explained how I started making movies, how I learned a lot from YouTube, how I learned a lot by myself. With minimal financial resources and limited help, I produced my own films, going through all stages: screenplay, pre-production, production, post-production being in turn screenwriter, music composer, director and even actor. I have invested hundreds of hours in each product, all out of passion. And I think I managed to convey that in the essay.

The other essays were about the volunteer projects I got involved in and about the internships I did. In terms of volunteering, I chose to talk about how I managed to contribute through an animation used as an advertising to raise 50,000 lei in the ”Turn a dream into reality”,dedicated to a scholarship programme for students from the porest areas of the country, run by the Heart of a Child Foundation. . I could say that this project was my most successful project. The film produced – although it was my first animation – garnered over 50,000 views and, most importantly, contributed to a social cause. Avenor Christmas Charity Fair, BMNATO, Art for Heart are a few other volunteer projects in which I have been involved either as a photographer or with filming and / or editing.

The internships also have their own story, their role in my development being very big. The practical experience, from the studio, the interaction with specialists, the internship projects in which I was involved or which I only attended, each one contributed to my personal and professional development in the field of film production.

What should include a successful portfolio?

I don’t know what a successful portfolio includes, I can only say what I included in my portfolio. 🙂

:I’ve included all 11 of my high school movies – you can watch them on my YouTube channel. The movies were made by myself and more than that, I made other films in which I illustrated my way of working. I think this was a differentiator which showed the admissions committee how I think, structure and plan, it showed that I can adapt and find solutions. It also conveyed my passion for film and the effort I am capable of for such projects.

In addition, I spoke in my presentation about myself and the other passions I have, namely piano, acoustic guitar and electric guitar.

Tell us about the interview, how it went, what were the topics discussed in it?

The interview at Harvard is the last step of the application process and takes place with all the candidates, so it is not an indicator of the transition to a later stage of the admission process. However, it is an important step because it has a weight in the final decision. The interesting part is that the interview is not with a professor, but with a Harvard alumnus, specially trained for this and who knows nothing about you other than your name and date of birth. It’s not technical, it’s an interview in which you talk about yourself, about extra-curricular activities, about passions, about what you like to do, about future plans. It is also a good opportunity for you, as a candidate, to ask questions and learn more about life at Harvard.

Let’s move on to the less visual part – the academic results. What can you tell us about this component of the admissions process?

Obviously, academic results are very important and they must be in line with a standard. I had the privilege of studying at Avenor College, an international school with a curriculum that benefits you in the context of applying to universities abroad and that offers you diverse learning opportunities, with well-trained teachers, open to differentiated learning.

The best example and a differentiator in my application, is that at EPQ – Extended Project Qualification, in a film project led by me, I had the opportunity to do research, to analyze in detail and to understand what emotional and visual aspects I need to include in a film or in an advertising in order to generate emotion and to really reach the viewer.

In addition, the Drama, Media Studies or Arts classes, in which with the help of teachers I found solutions for me to make a film, the clubs I participated in, all contributed to this result.

Another advantage of the school is the teaching in English, which ensures a very good ability to express yourself academically and thus gives you the opportunity to say very easily what you think and what you feel. It is a skill that helps you a lot and that you develop through the presentations you make in school.

Beyond schooling, in addition to the A Levels exams, I prepared myself for the Toefl and SAT (American BAC) exams, where I got a score of 1480 out of 1600 which put me in the top 1% of those who take this exam.

Last but not least, I must mention the help I received from Madeleine Popescu, from Yourway Advisors, the consultant recommended by Avenor, who helped me throughout the admission process. It is a support that you need to be able to successfully pass the technical and administrative part involved in the process of admission to a university abroad.

If you were to make some recommendations for your colleagues preparing for college admission, what would they be?

I don’t think I’m in the position to give recommendations, maybe just some advice, as I received from my older brother who went through this experience before me and then mentored me throughout the admissions process.

The first advice I have is to be genuine and passionate about what you do. I think this is the most important thing that an application can convey and that differentiates you.

Then I firmly believe that you need to have backup plans – and not just one. The admission process is difficult and you may be surprised – to be rejected, to be admitted but not to receive financial aid and so on.

Another tip I have is to put all your energy into an application. In every application.

I know it’s tiring sometimes, because the processes are complex but me, for example, I took each application one at a time and before preparing it I analyzed the university website very well, I tried to think about what it would be like to study there, what I could do, what opportunities I would have. And then I wrote the application with all these details in mind and with a sincere desire to get there. When I finished the application, I went to the next application.

Beyond the enthusiasm you put into the application, you also need a little detachment. At the Harvard interview, being almost certain I wouldn’t be admitted, I went pretty relaxed, thinking I had nothing to lose. And I think that attitude helped me a lot.

What do you think was the major differentiator that brought you this remarkable success? And how do you feel now?

I think my greatest strengths were my passion and my perseverance. The projects I’ve been involved in over the years, the films I’ve made – whether it was the enthusiasm to screen a personal story, an emotion or just a school theme – the internships, the volunteer activities I’ve been involved, the plays in which I had a role, or the piano and the guitar recitals I attended were made because I enjoyed it, because it represented me and helped me to express myself. I made the first films just for myself and my family members – who, at first, were the only spectators.

Later, I managed to learn and evolve, and the films I produced in High School were my portfolio for college admission. Although it seems hard to believe, these short films – along with the other academic results and the portfolio of activities – gave me the chance to get a place at Harvard College.

Even though I received the letter confirming the admission, it still seems to me that I am dreaming with open eyes! There are days when I can’t believe what’s going on, when I’m inert, and others when I’m overwhelmed with emotion and then I wonder what I’m looking for there in the context in which, this year, Harvard had the lowest admission rate.

What are your plans for the future? What do you hope to find at Harvard?

The most important plan is to go to Harvard in the fall, where I hope to find colleagues with similar passions, who want to change the world through art. I want to take advantage of the opportunities that the university offers me, to learn and to follow my passion. And in the long run, I want to start a film start-up.

 

More details about his passion for film and about Andrei’s activity in recent years at Avenor can be foundHEREandHERE.

 

How do we consciously consume media content

One of the 7 basic traits of the Avenor Learner Profile is to be Future Ready. In 2020, when schools closed, the abrupt transition to online learning required teachers, school leaders, students and parents to adapt quickly to a new, unknown and uncertain situation. It’s easy, once you get used to something, to have the feeling that you’re done, that the hard work is behind you and that it is over, you’ve adapted. The reality is that the new relationship we have with learning technology is still new and still requires continuous adaptation. And one of the most important skills we can train in the context of this relationship that is still evolving, is how we relate to the content we consume online. It is a lesson that we try to teach our students and, like any lesson, it is one that is important for us as adults, teachers and parents, to shape.

 

WHAT DO WE TELL TO OUR STUDENTS

First of all, we embrace technology as a good and useful thing and we encourage our students to use technology in the classroom – only through current use we may learn true digital fluency.. We use group projects as opportunities to discuss what fact checking means and how you can check the sources of information.

1. Cite your sources

Students learn to attach links to the information sources provided in any presentation. If you have found information on a site that does not cite its sources, you will probably need to go to step two and look for additional sources.

2. How many sources confirm what you found?

Students learn that before believing information, it is important to check if there are other sources that confirm it or if there are sources that disprove it. That’s why we encourage students to use a search engine and try to scroll beyond the first results, or even pages – the first sources are usually the most visited and how false news often spreads faster than real news, it is important to look at less accessed sources. But…

3. What is the quality of the sources that support the information?

You must also learn to decode possible alarm signals regarding the quality of the source. Now things get a little more difficult and the age and experience of the reader become more important. A first warning sign would be if the identified source uses correct language – is the article grammatically correct, is it professional or does it have obvious spelling mistakes?

4. How does it make me feel?

One question that we, adults and children, should learn to ask ourselves, even at an early age, is: “What emotion does this title / article / information cause me?” But an even better question is chow intense is the emotion that this title / / article provokes.. Behind any source that provokes a very strong emotion strong emotion is most likely an interest for the reader to share that information further.

Fear, anger and revolt are spreading fast in the online environment. The anti-vaccination discourse of recent years is a classic example of monetizing the audience’s fear and rage. Conspiracy theories appeal to the audience’s sense of revolt, which encourages them to feel cheated, fooled, used by a category of people who seek to take advantage of them. If a piece of information provokes a very strong sense of revolt, it does not necessarily mean that it is false, but it certainly means that it is worth investigating, following the steps above.

All these emotions – curiosity, fear, anger and revolt are active emotions, which produce a great need for action, encourage us to do something – for example, to click, to share.

What is important to understand is that ‘official’ or ‘reliable’ news sources often use the same mechanisms, precisely because they are very effective. That is why a more rigorous Media Studies education is vital.

5. What’s the purpose of the product I consume?

At Avenor College, beginning with grade 9, students can choose to study Media Studies, a course dedicated to the analysis of media products, with a strong focus on digital media.

“At Media we study in detail several types of media, including news, online and social media, advertising and marketing. We analyse who creates the product – the advertisement, the news, the social media page – and for what purpose. Creating a media product is a process of selection and omission. An online news story does not reflect the reality of the situation, but rather a constructed version of this reality. And media students learn to recognize how the media manipulates their audiences to achieve the goals of the producers and the companies that own them. In this way, we teach students to recognize misinformation, bias and fake news, a set of skills that are absolutely essential in our digital society.” says Katie Hargreaves, a British professor of Media Studies at Avenor College.

When analysing newspapers, high school students study two products in parallel – a left-leaning British daily newspaper and a right-wing British tabloid. Students analyse how the political orientation of the management of the company that owns the newspaper influences the language used in the articles. The influence is not limited to language, it extends to the selection of photos, the colours used and even the font. Each element of a media product conveys meaning to the audience, in order to attract their attention and ensure that readers return to their main source of information.

While the Media Studies course is quite advanced, it offers an important lesson that we can apply both in the discussions with our children and in the way we consume media products, a lesson about…

6. The importance of tolerance for opinions other than my own

There is a lot of talk these days about how search engine algorithms create ideological bubbles – about how the suggested content is the content that we already agree with. Just as Media students look at two different products to understand what they have in common, we can encourage our students and children to always seek different opinions from their own. It may seem counterintuitive to intentionally seek different opinions from our own, but this is by far the most powerful tool in combating fake news. Developing tolerance for opinions other than our own makes us immune to the monetization of negative emotions that misinformation relies on.

7. Let’s take it step by step…

From all the information above, it turns out that a digital fluent person is a very busy person. For this person, simply reading a news article involves at least three jobs – researcher, looking for other sources; fact checker, verifying the validity of the sources; analyst and evaluator, analysing the source language and, with an advanced understanding of the political and business interests behind it, performs an analysis of the content. None of these jobs are easy, and I think we have to admit that even for adults, fulfilling all of these roles can be tiring. The most important thing, especially when working with children, is to remind them to take it step by step. And the first step is to become aware of the effect that the media has on us. Certainties and truth are hard to come by nowadays, but the ability to consciously consume content is certainly one of the most valuable skills of a truly Future Ready person.

Smaranda Nicolau, Teacher of Drama and Media Studies at Avenor College, wrote this informative material for Spotmedia where she tells what do we teach our students about media consumption and especially about fake news. The full material can be read HERE.

The 11th edition of Work in Progress

Last week we celebrated the 11th edition of Work in Progress, the biggest and most beloved art exhibition in our school. Ever since November, our students from primary and middle school made use of their creativity in various multidisciplinary activities. This year, our main focus has been Design in its various forms.  

Students from middle school learned how to create clothes from scratch – they learned how to use a sewing machine, experimented with decorating techniques and prepared a fashion show in which they presented their final products.

Students from primary school created a pastry shop – they imagined, designed and built a product from idea to its physical form, using both analog and digital techniques and software. They experienced both digital 3D modeling, clay modeling, and 3D printing bringing together both analog and digital means of production.

It was also a great opportunity for our high school students that study Art and Design to share their projects.


Here are some words from our teachers:

Andreea Geamănu: This year’s challenge was to get all students excited about fashion design and the process behind creating a piece of clothing. All the pieces in this fashion collection were entirely created by our middle school students, from choosing the fabric, understanding how to use a sewing pattern, assembling all pieces using the sewing machine, experimenting with decorating techniques and creating the overall look. Each class created at least one item of clothing or accessory and every student had a contribution to this process. If you look at the displays next to the mannequins, you will see that there was a complex creative process behind this final product, a series of drawings, collages, magazine inspiration and you can also see some of our middle school students in the middle of the action. 

 

The students from the Printmaking Club came up with a big challenge for themselves: to find as many ways as possible to use stencil art, a very versatile technique that they learned during our lessons. They are proposing an interior design and fashion design approach and they created a thematic wallpaper, tapestry, curtains and an outfit, all with the “Tropical” theme in mind. They decided on the theme, chose the elements, cut out the stencils and proceeded to print different types of materials. When you visit the minipark art station, expect to see a wide range of materials and get transported right away to an exotic resort. While you’re there, don’t forget to take a look at the artworks created by the Book Illustration Club.

 

The students from the Book Illustration Club found themselves in a fantasy world, where Santa lives in Greece and plant pots play the guitar. They created 3D paper illustrations based on the surrealist short stories imagined by students at the beginning of the school year during the art lessons. They chose to use this medium because they considered it a little different than the usual illustration style they see everywhere. Together with the illustrations, you can also see some typographic experiments. The students wrote the surrealist short stories letter by letter on paper using wooden letters traditionally used in letterpress machines. 

 

Bogdan Topîrceanu: Before we get into the theme of this year’s exhibition, we think we must clarify the reasons behind this year’s endeavor. Usually, Work in Progress displayed an array of expressive and colorful fine art drawings and paintings. This year though, we thought we might switch gears in order to show that art can be more than just a relaxing activity. 

 

We often fail to conceive just how important drawing and art are in everyday life, because we are used to seeing art as only something hanging on the walls of a gallery. That is what we are taught, through the prism of the institutional theory of art: that art is dependent on an art audience and an art space. But “art” is only a word which we started using 500 years ago, during the Renaissance. And drawing and craftsmanship have been present in the human experience way before that. 

 

The oldest intentional drawings made by Homo Sapiens go back to roughly 73.000 years ago, but the oldest drawing traces go back to roughly 500.000 years ago, to Homo Erectus. Drawing has shaped the human brain in ways that might not be evident at first, but which unravel at a more serious scrutiny, by being one of the first technologies developed by our minds. And yes, we said technology, for it is the basis on which mathematics was first developed, and further on, written language, two of the main elements of human science, knowledge and ultimately civilisation. Drawing is the means through which our brains manage to turn physical elements into abstract concepts, around which we can more easily wrap our minds around. And thus, we do not think it is a coincidence, that all, and we mean ALL human made objects rely on a drawing, or a mental image of the future object we are going to build. You see, drawing is not only a sketch on a white paper, but a mental blueprint for objects not yet in existence. 

 

Society regards the activity of art making as a child’s play, and easily dismisses artistic endeavors as unserious and maybe even pretentious, in the face of more “serious” fields, such as science and technology, regardless of the fact that both heavily rely on drawing and imagery in order to further their development. Art, theory and technology all are interwoven, and cannot exist one without the other. And this is something that we strongly believe we as teachers should highlight in our classes, in order for students to understand how the elements of our world connect to each other, and understand that what they learn in an art class, is not only a therapeutic activity, but can become a useful tool for testing and developing their own ideas.

And this brings us to the second part of this explanation.

 

This idea of art, theory and technology as a single organism permeated into this year’s activities. While imagining the curriculum for 2022, we had this idea of teaching entrepreneurship using art. And what better way of doing that if not by challenging the students to imagine their own brand and business. Thus students were able to gain real world skills, which they can also use outside class, and even further on, when they grow up. As we experimented in the past 2 years, children can learn in parallel how to develop both analog and digital skills in resolving the same tasks, thus gaining better control over both the immediate reality and also the digital tools at their disposal.

 

While brainstorming ideas for what type of business might be fun and interesting for them to do, some images of Claes Oldenburg’s The Shop (1961) popped into our minds. A collection of handmade fake pastry products, built out of common materials and painted with industrial enamels. Thus, the theme was set: a pastry shop for the students to imagine from scratch, with the main objective: to imagine, design and build a product from idea to its physical form, using both analog and digital techniques and software.

 

For lower primary, we mostly focused on drawing and coloring, introducing a couple of notions of typography and lettering which they used in imagining their shops’ names. For the upper primary we upped the game and expanded the project, from a few weeks, which was the regular Work in Progress timeline, to a few months. This extra time let the student experience a much more diverse learning process. Thus, they started out with a blank business canvas, which they learned how to use and on top of which they built their brand, both in name and image. They researched other pastry brands and branding ideas using Behance, they vectorized their hand drawn logos using Vectornator, they designed their 3D printed products in Tinkercad, and designed their packaging using Sketchbook, Procreate and even Notes. They learned about the difference between a logotype and a logogram, the anatomy of letters and how to build new, interesting and intricate typefaces. They experienced both 3D modeling and clay modeling, bringing together both analog and digital means of production, and also made their first attempts at building a functional and aesthetic container for their products. All of these individual activities have been reunited in one design, representing the facade of their pastry shop.

The pinnacle of their efforts: an intricate display containing all the elements they managed to assemble in the last 5 months of sustained work. This whole endeavor represents a STEAM pilot for primary, from which we have learned on a pedagogical level, at least as much as the students did following our lead. We identified both opportunities and challenges for both ourselves and the students, which we will use only to further develop and adjust the idea onto their own needs. 

“Language & Culture Corner” – a passion turned into a scholarship project

With anew websiteand ahappy news newsletter“Language & Culture Corner” is a school project born out of a big passion for travelling and discovering new cultures. Designed with passion, it is implemented with determination and agility by an Avenor scholarship student who invites us to virtually travel and discover the world in a unique way.

Tell us about yourself. What does it mean to be a scholarship student at Avenor?

I.R. My name is Iarina and I am currently in the 10th grade. I joined the Avenor community almost four years ago. Being a scholarship student comes with its fair share of responsibility regarding grades, projects and activities, but it also comes with an amazing feeling of accomplishment. There is a whole team of other students, teachers and staff on this journey with me whom I enjoy working in a team with. Through this scholarship, I was able to coordinate projects with other people who are as passionate as I am, as well as be an example for others.

What scholarship project do you have? What is its story and what activities does it involve?

I.R. This year, I have two scholarship projects called ‘Language and Culture Corner’, which is an ongoing project from previous years and “Say NO to Fast Fashion, a project I co-coordinate with one of my classmates.

Language and Culture Corner”was born out of a big passion I have for travelling and discovering new cultures. Finding out about our differences as human beings and learning how to embrace them is such a beautiful thing. It enriches our general knowledge and helps us understand others better.

In 2019, “Language and Culture Corner” started as a small panel on the wall, but it now involves many other things. As part of the project, I organise debates, National Day surveys, presentations and kahoot games. However, the main base of the project is a website everyone can access to play online games a nd look up information about European countries. I am currently working on updating it with information about countries from other continents too.

Your project – “Language and Culture Corner” – is very versatile and can go in many directions – geography, history, art, civilization and so on. Do you work on documenting it yourself, how do you handle it, how long does it take you?

I.R. Yes, I work on documenting it myself and I always make sure to use as many reliable sources as possible, in order to not publish misinformation. I usually check twice or thrice if a fact is correct. This can, of course, take me quite a lot of time, even up to hours. But I always try to think of it as something positive, because I enjoy discovering new countries. I often put some music on, get a cup of tea and start researching. I might find myself going from one interesting thing to another and then having to stop for the day, but I am glad it adds onto my general knowledge.

What were the biggest challenges you encountered over time in implementing the project?

I.R. One of my biggest challenges was the pandemic. My project was starting to flourish and many people were taking interest in my posters filled with information. I had many ideas to implement when being in school, but then I realised online school was not going to go away anytime soon. I was worried about how to catch the attention of younger classmates, so the only reasonable thing that seemed like I had to do was to try and adapt my project to an online version, a website, just like many other people. Because of this, I unfortunately lost some of the visibility, but as we slowly returned to school, I was able to promote it again.

Tell us the funniest 5 “Did you know that” about the European countries you found working on your project?

I.R. Throughout my project, I found some really interesting facts about the countries of Europe, but here are the most interesting and surprising ones for me:

  • In Germany there’s no punishment for a prisoner who tries to escape from jail, because they believe it is a basic human instinct to be free;
  • Kiev has the world’s deepest metro station at 1.5 kilometres underground;
  • Tourists in Rome, Italy throw €1,000,000 into the Trevi Fountain each year;
  • Slovakia has the only capital in the world bordering two countries;
  • It is estimated that British people drink 165 million cups of tea every day.

How do you see the future of the project? What do you want to do next?

I.R. Actually, a few weeks ago I launched a new feature based on the project. It is a happy news newsletter. Anyone can sign up using the QR code in the poster or the special google forms.. This is a bi-weekly newsletter coming straight into the mail inbox of anyone who signs up. The best part is it contains the best news from all over the world. They can be in regards to sustainable projects, cultures, countries and people. I believe that during this time of uncertainty everyone needs some happy news one in a while. I sincerely hope to have as many subscribers as possible! 

One of my biggest hopes for this year is that the school will be able to organise its famous Cultural Celebration Day. Due to the pandemic, it did not take place physically in the last years, but through my project, I would love to contribute to its organisation and stands.

”Cum facem față fricii de război?”

”Cum facem față fricii de război?”–  un webinar dedicat comunității Avenor, a fost organizat pe tema conflictului din Ucraina și a emoțiilor generate de acesta, cu sprijinul doamnei psiholog Oana Cueșdeanu

Războiul care se întâmplă în acest moment în Ucraina este o realitate pe care nici unul dintre noi nu și-a imaginat-o posibilă. Cu toate acestea se întâmplă, este foarte aproape de noi și are efecte negative în principal asupra ucrainienilor, victime directe ale acestui conflict de neînțeles, dar are impact și asupra noastră și mai ales asupra copiilor noștri.

Oricât am încerca să protejăm copiii și adolescenții de zgomotul acestui război, este sănătos să conștientizăm că ei vor găși surse de informare – fie din mediul virtual, fie de la școală sau din interacțiunile cu prietenii. Nu avem o previziune clară asupra situației actuale, nu știm când se va încheia, dar categoric pune presiune pe noi toți. O presiune care se transformă rapid în anxietăți de pierdere, de abandon, de moarte. 

În acest context, cu sprijinul doamnei psiholog Oana Cueșdeanu, am organizat un webinar cu tema ”Cum facem față fricii de război?”. 

Timp de o oră, doamna psiholog Cueșdeanu a încercat să le ofere părinților informații despre cum să își gestioneze propriile emoții și mai ales cum să îi ajute pe copii să se exteriorizeze, să povestească ce știu și ce părere au despre ceea ce se întâmplă și mai ales cum să se descarce de emoțiile negative care uneori pot fi copleșitoare.

„Tu ce crezi?”

Așa ar trebui să înceapă orice discuție pe care ne propunem să o avem despre război cu copiii noștri.

Apoi, ce spunem?, cum spunem? și când spunem? sunt cele trei întrebări pe care trebuie să le avem în minte înainte de a porni o conversație așa sensibilă cu ei.

A fi liant emoțional în aceste momente este ”un must” pentru orice părinte. Și pentru asta avem de înfruntat barierele noastre interne și de a discuta deschis, echilibrat și adecvat vârstei lor. Webinarul este o invitație la  dialog deschis, în care ne așezăm ideile despre cum să vorbim cu copiii noștri despre război. E o invitație pentru părinții suficient de curajoși să recunoască că suntem vulnerabili.” – Oana Cueșdeanu,  psiholog și supervizor în psihologie clinică, psihoterapeut și trainer în psihoterapie pozitivă, părinte în comunitatea Avenor. 

Înregistrarea integrală a webinarului este disponibilă mai jos.

Support for Ukraine

The victims of the war in Ukraine need our immediate help to have access to basic goods that will help them to live from day to day.

Avenor College joins the initiative of the Black Sea School Group, a group of COBIS schools in the Black Sea area, to support and assist the victims of the war in Ukraine by encouraging donations to the Romanian Red Cross.

The mission of the Humanity has no borders initiative, initiated by the Romanian Red Crossis to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Romania who need shelter, food, personal hygiene products and bedding.

Please donate to give an extra chance to these victims, especially vulnerable women and children who are seeking refugee and need our help.

Donations can be made HERE.

***

Council of British International Schools (COBIS) is a global membership association for high quality British international Schools. COBIS schools can be found in over 75 countries worldwide and all member schools are committed to quality assurance and the delivery of a British style education.

Black Sea Schools Group is a loose grouping of COBIS (Council of British International Schools) schools in countries around the Black Sea Region (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine). The group works together to further enhance regional student engagement and staff professional development and networking.

Față în față cu adolescența – ghid practic pentru părinți

Cum abordăm adolescentul și adolescența? Care sunt principale frici pe care le avem? Cum depășim conflictele?

Oana Cuesdeanu, psiholog și supervizor în psihologie clinică, psihoterapeut și trainer în psihoterapie pozitivă dar și mama a doi copii, unul aflat în pragul adolescenței, oferă mai jos o serie de răspunsuri care ne pot schimba perspectiva asupra acestei perioade provocatoare.

Vă rugăm să ne spuneți câteva cuvinte despre dumneavoastră – psihologul și mama Oana Cuesdeanu și despre decizia de a sprijini comunitatea Avenor prin organizarea atelierelor pe tema adolescenței dedicate părinților.

Oana Cueșdeanu: Sunt o mamă la pas cu adolescența pentru că deja cochetez cu ritmul ei prin comportamentul adoptat de fiica mea cea mare. ”Acasă” s-a transformat într-un dinamic punct de întâlnire al prietenilor pe care îi are, așa că pot gusta această etapă din perspective diferite, prin mai multe voci. ”Mama, a zis o prietenă despre tine că…” a devenit un bun exercițiu de a mă privi mai des în oglindă și de a avea o atenție mai mare asupra atitudinii pe care o am în confortul rutinei zilnice de acasă. E un deliciu să le văd lipite de bucătărie, acolo unde în timp ce mai gătesc povestim diverse. În același cadru întâlnim și gelozia simpatică a surorii mai mici, care mai intervine temperând dinamica.

Ca terapeut am avut și am ocazia să întâlnesc adolescenți curajoși să se exprime. Momentan, alături de mai mulți antrenori din țară desfășurăm un proiect la nivel național adresat tinerelor sportive. Așa avem oportunitatea să înțelegem mult mai bine dinamica vârstei, așa cum se manifestă ea în mai multe colțuri ale țării.

Este o provocare să găsești un limbaj comun, cuvinte cheie și concepte la care să adere și pe care să le integreze în gândirea lor atât tinerii cât și părinții.

Avenor are o abordare unică. Ne-a ajutat să ne simțim ”acasă” și spun asta pentru că acum un an și jumătate ne-am desprins de Ardeal din dorința de a ne vedea copiii zâmbind când ies de la școală. Așa ne-am stabilit în București. Am visat mereu să găsesc suport în echipa educațională, să pot avea un dialog cu profesorii pe care îi respect pentru creativitatea și bogăția minții lor, pentru că au înțeles abordarea minții prin suflet și pentru că efectiv se întrec în a găsi proiecte zilnice în care să implice tinerii. Atelierele le văd ca pe un schimb de experiență prin care mă îmbogățesc mental și în plus îmi acordă oportunitatea de a relaționa cu oameni pasionați și dornici să spargă limite.

Care sunt principalele frici ale părinților aflați față în față cu adolescența? Dar ale adolescenților?

O.C: În fața adolescenței părinții devin anxioși. O privesc neputincioși uneori. Și asta pentru că uită să se detașeze de controlul și de limitările inconștiente pe care le au inserate de generația care le-a oferit educație.

”Punem accent pe educație” îmi spun părinții des.

”Adică pe performanță?” îi întreb.

Adolescența este o perioadă de tranziție spre etapa de adult. Nu ne ajunge doar să fim performanți. E important să dobândim autonomie, să fim flexibili din punct de vedere emoțional, chiar empatici, să avem în bagajul nostru informații despre: cine sunt, cum gândesc, cum mă exprim și cum mă cert, dar mai ales cum gestionez relațiile cu cei din jurul meu.

Competența cognitivă îmbinată cu cea emoțională, cu o încredere și o stimă de sine stabile vor fi pașaport spre autenticitate. Mă gândesc că asta ne dorim de fapt – tineri autentici care să creadă în vocea lor.

Adolescenții cred că nu își pot mulțumi părinții. Asta este teama lor cea mai mare – că îi dezamăgesc prin performanța lor inconstantă și că nimic din ceea ce fac nu este bine sau suficient. Știința ne spune că în situații de stres hormonul THP are un efect invers la adolescenți, adică anxietatea va crește în loc să fie moderată. Odată ce îi ținem sub presiunea performanței, ei vor dezvolta elemente anxioase, uneori cu apariția de atacuri de panică și chiar cu elemente de depresie.

Cum putem depăși – ca părinți – conflictele pe care le aduce cu sine această perioadă controversată?

O.C: Adolescența este o etapă atât de vie! Dacă înțelegem câteva reguli simple ale creierului adolescentin, această etapă va fi mai ușor de abordat. E ca atunci când plecăm la drum și rămânem atenți la regulile de circulație, fără să ne lăsăm distrași de altceva.

O tornadă nu va distruge în mod intenționat o casă”. Este un citat adunat din pagini de carte care ne atenționează că poate deveni distructiv să luăm personal fiecare conflict în care suntem invitați.

Cum vă certați acasă?” întreb părinții. ”Trebuie să ne certăm?!” mi se răspunde? Văd conflictul ca pe cea mai frumoasă dovadă de încredere. Nu îl putem ignora. Este important să le arătăm cum se procedează, cum intri și cum te detașezi de un conflict, ce limbaj poți utiliza, care sunt consecințele emiterii de judecați și ce înseamnă să gestionezi emoții puternice.

Prin conflict tânărul se descarcă verbalizând tot ce acumulează în timp. Este un fenomen de reglaj intern fără de care nu văd cum putem rămâne în echilibru. Când plouă, uneori ne udăm până la piele. Așa ”depășim” conflictele, scufundându-ne profund în ele.

Părintele de adolescent – model sau detectiv? Care este scenariul optim pe care un părinte ar trebui să îl adopte?

O.C: Detectivul scanează fiecare indiciu și greșeală ca să poată aduce în lumină ”vinovatul”. Dacă ne așezăm în postura detectivului devenim rapid ”persecutori”. Varianta optimă este de a fi și de a rămâne model. Mai ales că inserția comportamentelor se realizează prin fenomenul de imitație. Comportamentele noastre devin busola lor interioară până în momentul în care vor avea, ca adulți, curajul să o schimbe.

Ca model poți rămâne preocupat de echilibru – e ca atunci când navighezi cu o barcă. Ai nevoie de un scop pentru care navighezi și trebuie să fii pregătit să reacționezi oportun și în caz de furtună dar și când este senin. Provocarea pe care o lansez părinților este să îi întreb care cred că este scopul călătoriei lor alături de adolescentul de lângă ei?

Cum ne putem pregăti pentru această perioadă dificilă? Dar pe copii, îi putem pregăti astfel încât traversarea perioadei 14 – 18 ani să fie mai ușoară?

O.C: Autocunoașterea este instrumentul autentic în fața necunoscutului. Atâta timp cât înțelegi și accepți, ca adult, fiecare parte din puzzel-ul personalității tale, îți va fi util să poți face față adolescenței, pe care nu aș numi-o acuzativ ”dificilă”. Ne scoate din rutină, ne inundă cu dopamină, ne forțează să stăm în aceeași barcă cu partenerul și să luăm împreună decizii. Este o etapă care ne ridică întrebări când simpatice, când grele, în care temele existențiale de care am tot fugit se cristalizează tot mai clar.

Adolescentul este extrem de preocupat de moarte. Și are nevoie de răspunsuri. Nu le primește de la părinte, le caută în altă parte, de regulă în mediul virtual. O altă tema care îi atrage atenția este sexualitatea. O poți aborda relaxat la un ceai. Feminitatea și masculinitatea ca roluri sunt exersate zilnic. Le poți sprijini să se contureze echilibrat. Iar iubirea și felul în care se transmite sunt temele preferate. Atingerea, gustul primului sărut, senzualitatea, toate se trăiesc, sper că va mai amintiți, la vârsta adolescenței. Iar pentru asta avem de furnizat informații, de explicat și educat constant, într-un limbaj simplu, telegrafic, dezbrăcat de catastrofizari și anxietăți anticipatorii negative de tipul ”ai să pățești ca…”.

Nu scapă nici mamele, nici tații de această etapă a întrebărilor. Este nevoie de fiecare dintre ei. Sper că suntem deja conștienți că educăm fie prin prezența, fie prin absența noastră.

Care sunt cele mai importante sfaturi pe care le aveți pentru părinții de adolescenți? Care este firul roșu pe care aceștia trebuie să îl urmeze pentru a parcurge alături de copiii lor etapa adolescenței?

O.C. Copilul aude și vede mai mult decât înțelege prin cuvinte și asta pentru că porțiunea prefrontală a creierului își încheie procesul de formare între 20-24 ani. Astfel, adolescentul va fi cuprins de impulsivitate și va lua decizii greșite fără să vrea. Adultul îi poate fi sprijin atunci când are de luat decizii importante, atunci când simte că are nevoie să se descarce sau atunci când vrea să afle dacă este iubit.

Acceptarea, încrederea și flexibilitatea sunt ingrediente de bază în relația cu adolescentul. Nu există două creiere la fel, așa cum nu există doi adolescenți identici. Dacă ne păstrăm în minte scopul, ca de exemplu ”îmi doresc ca etapa asta să o gust cu bucurie”, vom avea o direcție clară.

 

Alexandra – the success story of the Avenor scholarship holder

Motivated by the example of her older colleagues Avenor scholars, Alexandra wanted more than anything to be one of them. She applied, was rejected and applied again the following year. She is now involved in four volunteer projects as a scholar and is motivated to move forward with them. Her story is inspiring for any student who is considering applying for a scholarship.

Avenor: Tell us about yourself and what does it mean to be a scholar student at Avenor?

Alexandra: My name is Alexandra and I am a 9th grade student at Avenor College. I am benefiting from the Avenor scholarship since 2019 and I believe that this status motivates me to be a role model for my colleagues – both behaviorally and academically. I strongly believe that the Avenor scholar should be a mentor to his colleagues and a friend who can be approached at any time with any problem.

Beyond the student life, I am a 15-year-old girl who likes to dance and spend time with friends.

Avenor: What made you apply for the scholarship?

Alexandra: The first time I heard about scholarships I was in the 5th grade at the graduation ceremony where the Avenor scholars from that year were introduced. Everyone went on stage and presented the scholar project, explaining how it works, how he collaborates and interacts with other colleagues, what is the project’s impact on the community and so on. Their enthusiasm, ambition and perseverance amazed me. It seemed incredible that students only a few years older than me are able to carry out such projects, with such ambitious goals. That ceremony stuck in my mind and I thought about it for a long time during the semester and when the scholarship programme was launched, I decided to apply and try my luck, motivated by what I had seen during that festivity. I thought at the time that it was an opportunity not to be missed.

Avenor: What is the story behind your scholar projects, because you are the scholarship holder with the largest number of projects?

Alexandra: I am currently involved in four projects: a literary circle, “From Left To Right”, a talent show, “Avenor’s got Talent”, a series of interviews with Avenor’s teachers, “Alexandra’s Interviews” and a magazine math, “MATH-LY-NEWS”.

I got into these projects over time, over several years. My first project was “From Left to Right” which was born out of a desire to create an open and safe space – judgment-free – in which avenorians passionate about literature could explore their passion and cultivate their talent.

“MATH-LY-NEWS” is a project initiated by the math teacher Mihaela Ancuța, which I coordinate in collaboration with my colleague, Tudor. In this project, we publish articles, problems and mathematical projects. “Alexandra’s Interviews” and “Avenor’s Got Talent” were taken over this year from a former scholarship holder who went to college, Ioana Andrei.

The Avenor scholarship, through these projects, allows me to enjoy distinct passions at the same time.

Avenor: Was there a time when you felt like giving up one of your projects? Was there a turning point? If so, how did you overcome it?

Alexandra: Although it consumes a lot of my time and requires a lot of involvement, it is impossible for me to give up my projects. I admit that there was a moment when I felt that I could no longer, that I could no longer handle everything and I considered giving up the literary circle. But, attending a “From Left to Right” meeting, I realized how connected I am with the cenacle’s participants and I realized that it is impossible for me to abandon the Avenorians dedicated to this club.

The conclusion I have reached after these years of being a scholarship holder is that you attach yourself to the projects you are involved in, to the teams you work with, to the collaborators you have and no matter how hard it is, you can’t give up and leave everything behind.

Avenor: How do you manage to get involved in all your scholarship projects without this affecting your school results?

Alexandra: I admit that it was not easy for me, especially at the beginning, but with the help and support of my teachers I learned how to manage my time properly so that I can successfully combine school and extracurricular activities.

Avenor: How much free time does a 10th grader with 4 volunteer projects have?

Alexandra: It is essential to learn how to manage your time properly, how to keep a balance between school and free time. Personally, it is impossible for me to excel academically if I do not have free time to go out with friends, for moments of relaxation and fun. A balance between academic and social life is what allows me to maintain my school performance and get involved in my projects.

Avenor: What advice do you have for a student who is tempted by the Avenor scholarship programme but does not have the courage to apply?

Alexandra: The first time I applied for the Avenor scholarship, I was rejected. This rejection demoralized me a little but I didn’t give up and the next year I applied again because I thought it was an opportunity I shouldn’t miss. Thus, I recommend to all students tempted by the scholarship idea to apply with confidence because it is a chance for a better future.

At Avenor College we offer annual high school student scholarships for 8th and 10th graders (Year 9 and 11). Scholarships cover between 25% and 100% of the schooling fee and are awarded until the end of the education cycle.

We are looking for students who demonstrate exceptional academic and co-curricular results, who are role models, with a proactive attitude towards learning. Avenor scholar fully participates in school events and is a good colleague and friend.

For details you can write an email to burse@avenor.ro