Mirela M. is a Grade 12 student with a great passion for biochemistry. She found inspiration in the global pandemic and has been working for the last eight months on a research project related to COVID-19. We invite you to read below the fascinating story of her endeavour.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
I study A level Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Statistics, and I had long wished to start a research project of my own, including all of these subjects, that would mark my debut in the scientific domain.
When the global pandemic struck, I got highly invested in virology and into the process of deciphering COVID-19. That’s when I had some ideas cross my mind: everybody is surrounded by all kinds of sanitizers in this period. There has been a highly significant increase in hospitalizations due to voluntary or accidental ingestion of disinfectants since the virus outbreak. From pulling out lots of medical case studies, I came to the conclusion that the ingestion of very small amounts of disinfectants like bleach or isopropyl alcohol actually causes no damage to the human body. The blood cells don’t hemolyze, the small amount of acetone produced in the liver is insignificant, and no metabolic pathway is damaged.
Intrigued, I spent two weeks in my bedroom brainstorming, researching, and planning: could I find a very small concentration of disinfectant that does minimal damage to blood cells, but is strong enough to potentially destroy bacteria or viruses?
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE?
Since I couldn’t find evidence that anyone else has ever done what I planned to do, it was like working in the dark. I have worked on this research for 7 months now, and I am not nearly finished. My wish is to bring my research to big, highly equipped laboratories (perhaps from next year, in a University laboratory) in order to have more accurate results that I could interpret in many ways, and help other scientists by supplying them with my data.
During spring and summer, I spent many hours per week doing online research and strategizing my approach. From the end of August until now, I have spent time in the lab performing numerous trials.
WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES?
First of all, I needed to get the most important part of the research experiment- blood samples. After having numerous weird conversations with owners of abattoirs (“yes, I only want the blood, not the meat”, “yes, I want 2 liters, and I need it to be very fresh.”, “It’s for an experiment, I promise”) I finally managed to get some pig blood from a village slaughterhouse. The most difficult part of the blood handling stage (apart from the disgusting smell) was its quick coagulation – I spent a lot of time researching and asking biomedical scientists and doctors about how human blood is stored for testing. My concern was that my chosen anticoagulant solution (sodium citrate) would alter the pH too much and cause the red blood cells to denature, stopping me from getting any data. I wasn’t able to know if that would happen or not until I actually tried the experiment, but thankfully it turned out fine.
One other great issue was the available apparatus. For my investigations, the equipment in the school lab wouldn’t suffice – I needed to get my hands on devices found at universities in Bucharest. Since everything was closed due to the lockdown, I had to find a way to work with my limited supplies, or drop my project altogether. Since the latter wasn’t an option, I spent a long time coming up with a setup that would help me find the oxygen saturation level in blood samples. The process was as terrifying as it was exciting – I had to rely on my physics knowledge and improvise in order to figure out an accurate way to get data. Ultimately, my creation was finished.
The only device that could measure oxygen percentages I could get my hands on was a normal pulse oximeter that’s used in hospitals. The issue was that the blood needed to flow through a finger in order to show a reading on the pulse oximeter, and the blood I had was drawn.
I decided to try doing a model of a finger: I suctioned the blood (because blood is dynamic in the human finger) through the tube of a potometer (device that is used for photosynthesis, because I had no other tube I could use). I inserted that tube into a hollow chicken sausage, because it was the best representation of meat in a finger. I wrapped that sausage in the finger of a nitrile glove (not latex, because I was relying on light absorption of the blood).
I was prepared for it not to work, because the method I came up with was sort of ridiculous. But it did!! I got accurate results even from the first trials. You can read an abstract of my projecthere.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Last week I performed tests on the bacteria E. coli, and I’m still interpreting the results. I am going to keep working on this project as I’ve loved every minute of it, even the times when I thought I had reached a dead end, or that it was impossible. Through this project, I have gained a sneak peek of the life I want to have in the future – the life of a scientist.
Our high school students coordinating the traditional Avenor Charity Fair are inviting you to discover how they have reinvented this event and how you can also contribute to their cause.
Hello everybody,
I am Ana-Caterina, from Grade 11, and I have been coordinating the Avenor Christmas Charity Fair for the past three years. I now feel that this project has become a part of my heart and soul. I strive to make our initiative visible because I believe in our charitable cause and I believe that each of us has a charitable spirit. Help us spread this spirit and make a difference!
And I am Tiberiu, also from Grade 11, helping Ana-Caterina this year to carry on this beautiful tradition.
Although this is my first year at Avenor, I decided to volunteer and get involved in this project as soon as I heard about it. I believe in our message and in our charitable cause because I think we should take care of our elders and offer them a happy and peaceful Christmas, especially in these challenging times. I am sure that people will help us and donate because everyone feels the spirit of Christmas and wants to make it full of joy for everyone.
We are happy to tell you the story of this year’s version of the Avenor Christmas Charity Fair and to invite you to be part of it.
As you know and probably remember from the past years, the Avenor Christmas Charity Fair has become a tradition at Avenor College. We created our community and we value greatly this magical event which brings back the charity spirit every Christmas.
Do you remember that time last December when the children were excited about getting the ‘spiridoni’ and all the tempting sweets at the Christmas Fair? Well, last year was amazing and meaningful for us all. It was a privilege for the organising team formed of high school students, and a joy for the whole Avenor Community to contribute to a wonderful cause: Dăruiește Viață. Last year, with your help we raised almost 45 000 RON for the first Children’s Hospital for Pediatric Oncology built in Romania.
However, this year we had to reinvent ourselves. We didn’t want to lose the Christmas spirit and the opportunity to be kind and generous. So, the new concept, adapted to the situation is: Avenor Charity Advent Calendar – a new Avenor Christmas online event.
Every day until Christmas Eve we are offering on our Facebook and Instagram pages Christmas-themed virtual surprises in exchange for donations to one of the projects from Melania Medeleanu’s foundation „Zi de Bine”, which aims to help poor elderly people in remote villages.
We are dedicated to helping grandparents around Romania, who are alone during this holiday season. This is the reason why we have organised a Charity Advent Calendar, asking for your generosity and support for Asociația Zi de Bine’s project „Perna cu Tihnă”.
In the first week of the project we have raised 5.000 lei. Our goal is to collect 12.000 lei and with your help we are confident we can do it.
The event is 100% student led, the highschool students are the ones to coordinate the making, filming and planning of the 24 videos.
But there’s more. The Christmas videos can be made by anybody who wishes to get involved from our community – you can sing a Christmas song along with your family or friends for our Charity Advent Calendar!
We, the Avenor Christmas Charity Fair community, would truly appreciate your contribution for this event and process by sharing our initiative with your family and friends. Your support and generosity towards our charitable cause would be our present for this Christmas.
Thank you in advance for your positivity and support! Happy Holidays!
Help us spread the joy of giving and donate to our cause!
You can see all of the daily videos on our online Advent Calendar.
Students in Grade 11 went with their form tutor on a tent trip during the autumn break. Tiberiu, one of the participants, says that the experience at the top of the mountain took him out of his comfort zone and taught him how to survive in nature, giving him a relaxing break from daily worries.
Together with my colleagues and our form tutor, we organised a 3-day camping trip at the end of the autumn break. We went to the Iezer campsite, near the Voinea chalet, just 15 kilometers from Câmpulung. It is of the “off-camping” type, without any facilities, which meant that we had to bring with us absolutely everything we needed, from water bottles and food, to tents and sleeping bags.
The road from Bucharest to there takes about five hours. The campsite was a few meters away next to a cobbled road that continues to climb even higher, on top of the mountain. Along the road, the river Bătrâna flows, which springs from further on, from the Iezer-Păpușa mountains.
From the moment we arrived, we started unpacking our things and setting up our tents. It didn’t take long for us to finish arranging the tents and sleeping bags, after which we started gathering firewood. Although it seems easy, it is quite difficult to find the right wood for the fire and cut them, especially if most of them are wet. I had never done such a thing before, but I learned along the way and managed.
Eventually, we managed to make a big fire, even before it got dark. Due to the mountain that blocks the sunlight and the late autumn, it gets dark very early, from 5, so we had to start making the fire early. We heated the food we had brought to the fire and even cooked soups and other dishes. After that, we all stayed to warm ourselves around the fire, tell stories, and eat marshmallows.
The next day, we went on a hike in the mountains, towards Cabana Voina, the only place with a telephone signal in the area. I was absolutely amazed by the beauty of the autumn mountain landscape – the yellow-leafed trees, the river that flowed along the road and the few cottages in the area. I felt a feeling of peace and calm in that place that you can only have in the middle of nature, surrounded by forest.
I really enjoyed our trip and I’m sure we will repeat it in the future. I think it is very important for all of us to get out, at least for a few days, of the tiring daily routine, to be able to relax and unwind, without pressure. It is also a very practical experience, which helps you learn how to survive and manage in nature. So, I can recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy the peace and get rid of worries for a few days, in a magical atmosphere.
Ilinca, a 10th grade student at Avenor College, has created an online reading club open to any high school student who wants to discover new books, meet new people, and participate in thematic discussions that can take them out of their comfort zone by exposure to opinions different from his own. Find out more from Ilinca about the book club that already has members from other schools .
Novel Bunch is an online reading club organised by high school students for high school students. It all started as a joke. In October we already had our first meeting (the book of the month being “Portrait of Dorian Gray”, written by Oscar Wilde), with members from 4 different schools in Romania. The club meets online at the end of each month, but is also active on the Goodreads platform, where we often have short discussions between meetings.
Why attend a reading club?
You read new books;
You have the chance to express your opinions in an open and friendly environment;
You meet different opinions from yours;
You meet other people your age;
You enrich your general culture;
You learn to express ideas about characters, themes, literary motives, intrigue, etc.
The Novel Bunch Reading Club opens you to books you might not read on your own. Even if you don’t like the book you are reading and find it difficult to finish, you discover new things about yourself and the other participants. The role of such a club is to take you out of your comfort zone, in a pleasant and fun way. Learning new opinions can open a new world of thinking.
Novel Bunch is not just about reading a book followed by a discussion about characters and literary motives. It is about the opinion that each of us has about the book, about the emotions and feelings it created for us, about how the themes encountered there are applied in everyday life. You create connections with other members. Sometimes you will agree with their opinions, other times you will try to convince them that your perspective is better. You may even be confused – but you won’t get bored.
If you would like to participate, fill in the registration form here. You can also find us on Instagram at novel.bunch.
And don’t forget: Novel Bunch is mainly for fun and expression in a free and friendly space. The November book is “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky. We talk in Romanian, but you can read the book in any language you want 🙂
Andrei Mitoiu (Grade 11) is a screenwriter, director and even actor in almost all 30 short films he has created so far. He discovered his passion for film 4 years ago, when he realised that he can use images to create magic. His films have recently been in festival selections and he enjoyed the interaction with an audience that shares his passion. We invite you to access his YouTube channel and find out more about his characters and the hundreds of hours of work “behind the scene” in his own words, below.
I discovered my passion for film 4 years ago, because I really liked to fool my friends with magic tricks. But when I searched the internet, I realised that I can create much more impressive tricks by manipulating moving pictures. Gradually, my interest in filmmaking grew, and I started creating my first films. In some of them I filmed myself, in others I filmed my brother and cousin, in superhero roles – it was not an easy mission to coordinate them, but the truth is that we had a great time.
Working on the 30 films I have made so far, I have learned a lot about storytelling, editing, filming and acting. As time went on, my passion for bringing stories to life motivated me to continue making films, despite limited resources or not always favourable circumstances.
This summer, I decided to submit my most recent four shorts to international film festivals, and I was happy to find out that three of them were selected by 7 festivals.
“Super” is a film festival for teenagers in Romania, a festival that selected the film “The Red Bowtie” and also invited me to the screening of my film on September 1st at Mercato Kultur. At the event I was extremely excited, because for the first time one of my movies was watched by teenagers with whom I shared the same passion.
After the screening I was invited to talk about the source of inspiration behind the film, the time it took to complete it – more than 150 hours of work – and my motivation to spend so many hours in front of the computer to express ideas and feelings through images.
The experience was unexpectedly pleasant, because the community of film people proved to be interesting and welcoming, eager to provide support to passionate teenagers.
In the midst of preparations for a new school year, one full of challenges that requires creative solutions, a lot of care and attention, we are inspired by the examples of other countries that have already opened their schools. But much closer to us is the practical experience that our school and nursery children had during the summer school programme.
A brave team created a Summer School programme that brought a lot of joy to the children and helped us verify the implementation of many safety and health rules. Cristina Farcaș coordinated this team and has many practical tips for the beginning of the school year.
Avenor College: What did we learn from the summer programme?
Cristina Farcaș: We really wanted to offer children the opportunity to meet their friends and engage in summer-specific activities, safely. For the educational team it was a constant learning process, in which the collaboration between departments had a significant importance – administrative, medical, educational, legislative – communication with parents and the community of international schools, with whom we are in constant contact.
One of the main conclusions is that outdoor activities must become a part of the daily approach to educational activities, assumed even by parents who need to encourage children and provide the right equipment for any type of weather. We like to say that there is no bad weather, there is only inappropriate equipment.
A.C. : What worked and what didn’t work?
C.F.: Dividing the children into cohorts (bubbles) and limiting the number of adults they interact with from one week to the next one was essential in the disease prevention process.
Separate routes for movement around the campus are essential, as are clear schedules with long breaks between sessions.
Parents have always helped us to implement the children’s routines, but now more than ever, we appreciated the punctuality and the constant dialogue about what was going to happen in the nursery or school.
A.C.: How does the Summer School experience help us in planning the new school year?
C.F.: It helped us a lot, because we now have a successful model that we can scale to the size of the whole school.
We know the key points:
Intensifying communication with employees who come into direct contact with children, as well as providing support for their physical and mental health.
Detailed planning of the movement routes of each cohort, including for space disinfection sessions.
Making the most of outdoor learning spaces with rainy weather equipment solutions.
Carrying out several types of learning scenarios in order to be able to respond as soon as possible to changes that will occur during the year related to the evolution of the pandemic.
A.C.: What were the unexpected issues that came to light during the Summer School?
C.F.: Constant communication with the authorised medical staff had the effect of reassuring everyone, from children to teachers and the rest of the staff, and also the parents. We were prepared to manage a tense atmosphere, but the effect of correct and consistent information delivered in a format easy to understand pleasantly surprised us. Unfortunately, there is no perfect protection. But as long as we inform and support each other, we can rely on the responsibility of those around us and stay away from danger, even working in the forefront, in education.
Before saying farewell to the Avenor High School Class of 2020, we challenged them to a discussion about their school experience, lessons learned, and also about the principles with which they continue their journey through life. Some answers surprised us and made us think, others delighted us and gave us confidence that the future is in good hands. We invite you to discover how 13 teenagers with “big souls and open minds” see the world from a text written by the one who interviewed them, Raluca Mihăilă, Marketing strategist • Writer • Photographer.
I have to admit that, in general, I don’t particularly miss the school years, because I feel that I have lived each stage of my life intensely enough to not have nostalgia or the need to return to the past.
But on June 15th this year, when Avenor High School Class of 2020 had the graduation ceremony, I felt nostalgic. Longing for it. For the naivety, the feeling that the world is yours, the moment you are in the first academic quarter of life, for dreams, for the lack of pressure from the consequences of all everyday decisions. I missed the early youth for which the age of 25 is still far away and desirable.
This emotion of returning to the experiences of adolescence was activated by the discussions with Grade 12 graduates from Avenor College – 13 wonderful, beautiful children, with big souls and open minds, with end-of-high-school nostalgia, but also with enthusiasm and energy to face the rest of their lives.
I had the opportunity to ask Oren, Vlad, Matei, Ana, Leon, Seif, Daniel, the two Tudors, Vanessa, Maria, Horia and Damian a series of questions about various life aspects of teenagers in transition to the admirable but sometimes uncomfortable adult status.
I talked to these wonderful young people about education, democracy, teachers and colleagues, humanity and teamwork, but also about the future and tolerance.
I believe that together with the team involved in the visual archiving of the graduates’ perspective on the school they were educated in, we enriched ourselves with some words of wisdom to be stored and passed on. I will share them with you here, because they should not remain closed in a small circle, but deserve to be transmitted, ventilated, debated, assumed and, why not, improved.
I was happy to see that the world has changed in the last 22 years since I finished high school in Brasov, but that the essential and deeply human things have remained the same.
I talked to these wonderful young people about education, democracy, teachers and colleagues, humanity and teamwork, but also about the future and tolerance.
I don’t know if I actually learned anything new, but I know for sure that I started looking in a different way at some of the things I had categorised as known. For example, when Leon defined democracy as “simultaneously the most equal and cruelest government structure because, although the majority benefits, the minority is discriminated against,” the word “cruel” got stuck in my head as I was thinking that his opinion may be too harsh. But then I thought a little about the status of many of us, the privileged ones, all the current controversies about the introduction of certain subjects in schools, about disadvantaged children, about gender discrimination, ethnicity, financial opportunities… and I considered that indeed, there is a cruelty behind the most desirable system of government. And if in such a context the majority adds intolerance, the minority is practically annulled.
Speaking also about democracy, Seif believes that without our opinions we are worthless, so the right to free speech must not be threatened. And only extending this fundamental right through a thorough education can bring us personal and social elevation, representing “the basis that helps us move forward on our own path” (Daniel).
Most students interpreted tolerance through resilience and acceptance of differences, which made me think a bit, because I did not see it as an endurance test, but rather as a proof of serenity, necessarily based on patience. But these young people don’t see it that way. They interpret it either by resistance (“how much you can endure pain, boredom, suffering” – Seif), by concession (“accepting that there is nothing you can do in a situation you would like to change” – Maria) or by accepting those who are different from us (“through empathy for the people in front of you that you shouldn’t judge” – Vanessa).
I found very interesting Tudor G.’s definition of tolerance: “the limits of respect we set between ourselves and others”. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful expression that relates very well to Leon’s favorite quote about differences: “You’re different, just like everybody else”. On the other hand, however, as Oren told us, “people must be different in order to be able to bring themselves completely at the table of any discussion, otherwise we would all be the same.”
Just as important as being successful is how you build valuable human relationships – Daniel.
So where do we draw the line between the same and different? It’s relative. And it is a good thing, as it’s good that we are different, a celebration to which Ana invites us with confidence and optimism. If it’s still hard for us to do that, Vlad has the wisest advice: “if you can’t fight it, join it”.
Vlad also offers us perhaps the most beautiful lesson about altruism when he tells us about the life lessons he takes with him from school: “it is good to be relaxed in general, but if something starts to destroy you, to hurt you, you should step back and reset.”
I found in these young people an almost unanimous belief in technology, biosciences, medicine and IT as fields from which will emerge the inventions that will make the world a better place. Daniel is the one who raised the stakes and said that we can expect a black swan effect from the future domains that will come to life and of which we are not even aware now.
From 18-year-olds you would expect to hear almost exclusively about the desire for success, for ascension, for conquering the world … and of course there are such dreams in their souls, but they come seasoned with the awareness that “just as important as being successful is how you build valuable human relationships” (Daniel). This formula about the essence of life fits perfectly with how Tudor G. sees democracy as the “power of choice”. Building valuable human relationships is definitely a choice. Are we willing to make it?
Just as “education defines a person, good education defines a good person” (Vanessa), the life principles learned during the school years are extremely important for how we develop into adults.
Maria tells us that she learned how the journey is more important than the destination and that the role of mistakes is to learn from them, Horia believes that it is important to look at a subject from several perspectives, Leon believes that details and attention to them are essential, and Tudor F. believes that you should never give up and that it is essential to offer your friends trust when they need it.
Everyone has realised that without school they would not have gotten where they are today, and they have found useful the routine of daily rigour and the diversity of subjects offering them the opportunity to better decipher the world they are preparing to fly to at full speed.
The perspectives on life gained during the school years were at least as different as the way these young people described their school: from rest, relaxation, challenging, productive (Oren), to professionalism, memorable (Vlad), dynamic ( Matei), colour (Leon), fun (Seif), a community of friends for the future (Damian), responsibility and loyalty (Horia) or even in the most pragmatic style through textbooks and teachers (Tudor F.).
One thing is certain: everyone has realised that without school they would not have gotten where they are today, and they have found useful the routine of daily rigour and the diversity of subjects offering them the opportunity to better decipher the world they are preparing to fly to at full speed.
To explain the need for school, Damian made a beautiful analogy with the summer holidays desired by all children, but in which a lot of time is lost and knowledge is not accumulated in the rhythm of what happens in class. If you just keep going that way, you inevitably end up “in a deadlock and you don’t know what to do with your life. I don’t know what I would have done without school”, he tells us.
What is more important: WHAT or HOW you learn? A question that would probably intimidate many adults. These young people, however, did not feel that way, even if they saw things differently. From “What is just a choice, how affects each person” (Tudor G.) to “no matter how good the technique, if you learn what you don’t like, it’s equal to zero” (Vlad), it’s clear that “if you learn what is not right, is not good ”(Horia).
Through Seif’s words, Avenor College teachers receive the following message: “We sometimes make mistakes, but don’t be so angry with us. Have fun, it’s part of being at school. ”
The future looks good. This is clear and we can only enjoy this discovery from the mature discussions with the 13 young people.
Coincidentally or not, this future appears in their vision under the reunited collection of 9 colors held together by the non-colors black (which starts the sequence) and white (invisibly linking the shades together).
What if we were to add another circle at the end of the color sequence? A more comprehensive one that can hold together, in one bundle, the individual visions about the future?
The Avenor Summer Expeditions School begins a new stage which is the result of its development around the options of children and parents in our community, from nursery and school. We invite you to find out the story of this project, written by the Summer School Coordinator, Cristina Farcaș.
This year, our summer school is developing in two directions. On the one hand, we launched the programme with a total of six weeks. This year, children with ages between 6 – 9, have the opportunity to participate, for two weeks, in educational activities in the Greenfield campus, an attractive location in terms of its proximity with the Băneasa forest, as well as in terms of its sports facilities. On the other hand, the educational content will focus mainly on outdoor learning and movement; topics such as ‘Survival Tips and Tricks’ and ‘Nature is Trendy’ will provide the optimal framework for exploring nature in all its meanings.
Main focus on outdoor activities
To summarise, a day of summer school at Avenor means 20% indoor vs 80% outdoor, Project-Based Learning (PBL), sports, expeditions in the forest near the school, or in parks near the nursery, fun and plenty of “social closeness”, respecting the physical distance requirements.
A day of summer school at Avenor means 20% indoor vs 80% outdoor.
The safety measures set by the authorities for this summer are within our reach and therefore, we can easily comply with all of them. The number of available places was the only aspect that needed to be adjusted, being limited to 38 children for each location. The limited number of children allows us to comply with the regulations for social distance both indoors and outdoors. In addition, based on our recent experience of reopening the nursery at the end of the school year, for the summer school programme, we are relying on functional protocols that have been piloted and revised.
Children choose what they want to learn
Avenor Summer School focuses on the Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, which offers children the opportunity to choose what they want to investigate or what skills they want to develop, and therefore the outcome of the process is tailored around children’s needs and interests. This year, taking into account the unprecedented situation we have all been experiencing, we adapted in such a way that this valuable aspect of differentiated learning to not be affected.
Children will have the opportunity to practise their English .
At the same time, children explore other activities that they have missed during the lockdown period, like sports or fun games with friends in the middle of nature. Moreover, children will have the opportunity to practise their English and many of those who participate for the first time will have the possibility to meet their future colleagues and some of their teachers.
Working on group projects
At the end of a big PBL theme, the children will present the result of their project. The emotion for sharing projects during assemblies is invaluable and creates unforgettable memories for both children and teachers. I still remember how children prepared a big concert last year, at the end of the “Expedition through Music” theme. They organised tables and chairs, created entrance tickets and had fun sweeping the nursery playground on their own. One of the boys even made a demonstration of how to be a concert DJ. The assembly turned out to be a great party, with dozens of children singing “Hai dă-i bătaie DJ Vasile” that we all remember to this day.
Some of our team members are volunteering, which says a lot about their passion for education.
The team has grown with the programme
When this new summer school concept was launched, I was writing how more than 20 teachers were involved for an entire year in making the educational design of the programme. This year, the team grew even bigger, because our school colleagues have also joined.
What is truly special is that some of our team members are volunteering, which says a lot about their passion for education. These people live their teaching vocations every day, beyond the limitations of ”just doing their job”. Although the educational content was ready in the autumn of 2019, in practice we had two weeks to make all the necessary arrangements, as we did not know until the last minute if it would be possible to meet the children face-to-face. This challenging situation allowed me to discover team resources beyond my imagination and expectations. We are almost ready and I am already confident that everything is going to be alright.
The whole team is looking forward to welcoming you to our Summer School. To find out more about the types of programmes, fees and activities, please feel free to access the news section on our website.
At Avenor College, March 13th marked the moment when learning moved from classes full of energy, curiosity and emotion to the online, artificial and unknown environment. What has followed over the last two months feels completely different to what we may have initially expected.
To get from the caution and skepticism of the beginning, to the carefully developed learning plans for each key stage we embarked on an emotional roller coaster and it has taken all of our imagination, creativity and skills to keep it on our pathway. And do you know how we did it? Together.
Pupils-teachers-parents-colleagues from all departments of the school and nursery.
“We’ve learned a lot from each other during these two atypical months and we once again understood the value of teamwork,” says Ramona Mucenic, Upper Primary Coordinator.
We invite you to discover in the text below what were the ups and downs of our journey of reinventing the learning process.
Avenor College: Two months ago, when we started distance learning at Avenor, we knew it would be a difficult and ever-changing process. What are the most valuable lessons you, the teachers, have learned in these 2 months of online school?
Cristina Farcaș, Nursery Educational Coordinator: Distance learning at Nursery was inconceivable to our teachers until this spring. In recent years Avenor has struggled to be an example of good practice in our society for a differentiated, applied learning, without worksheets and limiting standardisations, based on the individual needs of children, in constant contact with nature and especially a learning style dependent on interaction with others.
The beginning was not easy, we were very cautious and skeptical about the methods we would use to continue learning. The pressure of educators no longer being able to make the daily emotional connection with children added to this state of uncertainty. That’s why we, the adults, have chosen to take it step by step and, in our own way, to continue to take care of the children to make sure that we provide them with what they need.
Now, the updated version of the Nursery Learning Plan works for almost all of our children. It is a version that primarily offers variety and that allows us to keep most of the educational values we believe in.
We have learned that we can adapt quickly to changes we couldn’t even imagine, although the children have demonstrated again that they are better than us at this. We managed to be creative and create a learning plan that even in these conditions is varied enough to meet individual needs and allows us to continue differentiated learning. We have learned that in our homes there are infinite resources to initiate educational activities. We acknowledged once more that the best way to help a child is to team up with their family. And we’ve also learned that audio messages on WhatsApp are an excellent way to replicate the short and useful conversations we had at Nursery about different activities’ details and children’s progress.
Cristina Farcaș, Nursery Educational Coordinator
We have learned that we can adapt quickly to changes we couldn’t even imagine, although the children have demonstrated this time againthat they are better than us at this. We realised once more that the best way to help a child is to team up with his family.
Mirela Voicu, Lower Primary Coordinator: We have learned to adapt quickly to new ways of working remotely. Learning continued beyond the school space, with accessible digital tools and a lot of determination from teachers. We have created digital classes and staff rooms.
An important lesson we’ve learned during this period was that of patience, of the fact that we managed to stay connected to each other (teachers-students-parents). We’ve learned to be honest and ask for help whenever a challenge arose. We’ve learned to be students again and move on.
But I think what we’ve learned most is to enjoy every success, ours or those around us; we rejoiced every morning when we saw our children again, we rejoiced when we could be of help or when we were helped, we are glad that we are together, connected.
Ramona Mucenic, Upper Primary Coordinator: After surpassing the initial “shock”, when we all acknowledged that we will not return to school in the near future, we quickly realised that we must use all our imagination and creativity to reinvent learning. We had mixed feelings: the fear of the unknown, the feeling of alienation, enthusiasm, the desire to overcome barriers, the joy of daily meetings with children, even virtual ones.
We’ve learned a lot from each other during these two atypical months and we have once again understood the value of teamwork. The Avenor TEAM has proven that it is very well welded, strong and able to face any challenge.
Here are the most valuable lessons we’ve learned:
Children are very good at using technology – we, the teachers, have learned from our students many extremely useful “tricks”; in other words, in some cases, the roles have been reversed.
We found joy in the little things: a smile, a pet occasionally participating in online lessons, a birthday party via ZOOM and the examples can go on.
We further appreciate those things that we used to consider “normal”: meetings with friends, walks in the park, the frolic in the school yard.
Georgiana Socoliu, Middle School Coordinator: The most important thing is that we have managed to face the challenges. Even though it was an emotional roller coaster, together we managed to organise online learning and meet the needs of children. Certainly, the key word of this period is “together”. The collaboration of all (students-teachers-parents-colleagues from all departments) was extremely valuable in this process of continuous learning and adaptation. We proved once again that we are a strong community, but also generous, we are open to communication and collaboration with other schools, willing to share our practices and methods.
Andrew Sutton, High School Coordinator: The most valuable lessons was how quickly people can adapt to new approaches and the willingness they have shown to embrace the challenge.
Georgiana Socoliu, Middle School Coordinator
Certainly the key word of this period is “together.” The collaboration of all (students-teachers-parents-colleagues from all departments) has been extremely valuable in this process of continuous learning and adaptation.
A.C.: How have the children adapted and what have they discovered and have you discovered about them in this new context?
Cristina Farcaș: Children managed to replace the hugs with moments when they show us their favorite toy, or new furniture, or their room. This was their first reaction. They showed us toys, furniture, and their mothers for about two weeks.
It was difficult for them to speak and move within a radius of one square meter. Not everyone has succeeded yet! Many times the teachers are left in front of a blank screen and wait for the child to finish explaining and pointing out something in a corner of the room that they cannot see.
Now some of them know how to approach the screen to hear louder and even show signs or objects by bringing them closer to the camera of the device.
It is interesting how they have differentiated according to their learning style in children who are more present in group sessions, children who prefer individual meetings or children who only initiate learning using the resources from the educational package received at home (we’ve learned about this from photos sent by parents).
Mirela Voicu: Children immediately adapted to the new situation, the use of technology being familiar to them. We could see that some of them are much more at ease and open to dialogue, being in an environment familiar to them. However, children often express a desire to return to the classroom, because they miss their colleagues, teachers, desks, personal space.
Ramona Mucenic: We have quickly adapted to the new conditions, always wanting to stay connected to each other no matter what. We really miss the physical presence, the hugs, playing in the school yard. Thus, the children’s rooms have been transformed into learning spaces, gyms, creative workshops or music studios. We had, of course, some difficulties (mainly technical difficulties), but we overcame them with the invaluable help of the parents and of our colleagues from the IT department.
Georgiana Socoliu: Children have adapted much better than adults. In the first weeks they showed enthusiasm and impatience, it was something they had never experienced before, and they are always much more open when a new challenge arises. In order to maintain their curiosity, we also had to adapt, to work on the weekly learning plans for each key stage. The constant feedback they gave us helped.
As we move forward in time, the social need increases, children tell us more and more often about their desire to be close to colleagues and teachers and the fact that they really miss school – something they have admitted has surprised them!
Andrew Sutton: At High School level, the transition was fairly easy, the young adults are used to technology. They have enjoyed the opportunity to manage their own schedules, many of them grew up quickly to a new level of independence and responsibility.
Ramona Mucenic, Upper Primary Coordinator
Children’s rooms have transformed into learning spaces, gyms, creative workshops or music studios. We had, of course, some difficulties (mainly technical difficulties), but we overcame them with the invaluable help of the parents and of our colleagues from IT.
A.C.: What will happen in online learning by the end of the school year?
Cristina Farcaș: Together with the class teachers children will browse through the activities proposed in the Distance Learning Pack to revise what they have learned this year. All children will be exposed to spoken English through sessions with the native teacher. Music, physical development and personal development activities will bring about a relaxed summer atmosphere in June. These will be completed by the special events like the traditional Children’s Day, Cultural Celebration Day, Learning Expeditions and the Summer Show.
Mirela Voicu: We will continue to progress, to develop, to introduce in our lessons interactive activities that will keep children engaged. We are already planning the events that will take place in June, the PBL final project, Summer Show, Learning Expedition.
Ramona Mucenic: Until the end of this school year, unfortunately we will not be able to return to school. We will miss those activities and events that have already become traditions in the history of Avenor: Cultural Celebration Day, the end of the school year festivities and the Summer Shows. We promise to be very creative and find alternative ways to celebrate together. We are already planning some surprises, we will be back soon with news :-).
Georgiana Socoliu: We are adapting and trying to organize all actions and events online. We continue learning, we are in the process of assessment, we are preparing the exams for the 8th grade, we are making plans for the events of June, Summer Show and graduation ceremonies.
Andrew Sutton: As I have briefly mentioned in the High School Learning Plan, exam lessons will continue, grade 10 and 11 will progress to the next stage of learning beginning their A Level studies early. All students will be enrolled on a series of workshops to optimise learning and Grade 12 will learn life skills and connect with alumni to help prepare for starting university.
Parenting Advice (part of the ‘School from Home’
initiative coordinated by the PSHE Department)
I thought long and hard about what would be an appropriate topic to write about in the ‘Parenting Advice’ section of the Weekly Bulletin. After tapping into my personal self-isolation experience and talking with parents from the Avenor community, it became clear to me that, in the avalanche of pandemic-related aspects that range outside of our area of control, there is one aspect of paramount importance that we can control: how we relate to all of it and assign meaning to it.
I am not pleading for an overly motivational
speech, because I am aware that this type of approach does, indeed, put
pressure on all of us to ‘be alright’, ‘think positive’ and ‘smile and carry
on’. What I am pleading for is authenticity and resilience, because they will
be our allies in going through this period of change.
After the pandemic is over, we won’t go back to
how things were before, because we will not be the same people. Every day of
self-isolation and restriction teaches you, as parents, things that you did not
know you knew before all of this. The remark of one mum comes to my mind. She
said that it’s quite funny that before the pandemic had started she considered
herself extremely busy and now in full self-isolation and juggling roles,
(personal, professional and family), she can’t help but laugh at her previous
statement.
So, one thing that you as parents are learning
every day, (in a boot-camp style, I would say), is that you do juggle jobs,
parenting, schooling, household chores, your couple relationship, and your
personal arrangements. But this comes with a huge effort, moments of meltdown
and feelings of helplessness.
‘Where’s the good in all this?’ you might ask.
Focusing on the good in this case can simply mean admitting to yourself and
your loved ones that this is not an ordinary situation and therefore the
solutions are nothing close to ordinary. So, putting in more effort is natural.
Meltdowns are inherent and help you release some pressure from all of the
effort made. Helplessness, although uncomfortable as it may be, let’s you know
that you are human, and this human who is used to achieving has the right to
feel helpless when, suddenly, achieving stops being the norm and becomes
something ‘nice to have’.
I thought of some specific suggestions that might
help you, parents, to focus on the good:
– Take a moment each day, (it can be
when you’re in the shower or right before you go to bed), and acknowledge at
least one small victory of the day. It can range from ‘my daughter had only 3
tantrums instead of 5’ to ‘I managed to do some personal grooming without
having my kids glued to the bathroom door’.
– Look outside and let it heal you
a bit. Irrespective of whether you live in a flat or a house, make a habit out
of ‘relating to nature outside’. This might mean opening the window and
enjoying the spring breeze on your face, taking video conferences in the garden
or having a short stretching session outside.
– Keep your healthy
routines – movement, eating and sleeping. There might be days when you just do
not feel like doing any sport and all you can think of is a plate full of
pancakes, but try to make these days exceptions, not rules. Maintaining your
routines will help you explain the new routines to your children as well and
will boost your energy levels. Oh, and remember one thing: if you skip sleep
constantly, everything you do will seem harder than usual.
As a firm believer in the motto ‘less is more’, I
will resume to only three suggestions that will hopefully feel real enough for
you to put into practice, if you are not doing this already. Until next time,
stay safe and stay sane. 🙂
