Author: Popescu Andreea

Avenor students are celebrating the start of the Easter Holiday, and sport remains an activity that can be reinvented, even during the period of self-isolation. That is why our physical education teachers have designed a programme of live training sessions, which is addressed to both students and parents, during the Easter Holiday, within the Easter Holiday Virtual School programme.

“Sport is extremely important in our lives, especially during the period of self-isolation. Physical activity helps us to stay healthy, positive and active. We can have a healthy mind, only in a healthy body. We can have professional or educational achievements only if we take care of our mental health, and sport is an ally, because it helps us improve coordination and develop our personality harmoniously. A person does regula sport activity becomes a person who is attentive to details, which is why the sport sessions that I will host during this holiday will be addressed to students and parents who want to improve their ability to focus, balance and their overall mood”, said Ionel Voda, leader of PE department of Avenor College.

While Ionel aims to help students and parents to maintain their well-being and positive attitude during this period, Tiberiu Constantin, a sport teacher at our school, intends to help us correct our posture.

“In juniors, in particular, we can say that physical education helps a lot in preventing and correcting posture deficiencies, and in this period, muscle relaxation and stretching are very important, considering that both students and parents have a longer screen time. As a teacher, I hope that through all the training programs that I will host in the Easter Holiday Virtual School programme, I will help the families of the community to practice physical exercises in their free time. ”

Victoria Foster, PE teacher at Avenor, hosts a live dance session as part of the Easter Holiday programme.

“Sport helps us overcome mental exhaustion, and education is incomplete without sport. These days, during self-isolation, sport is an integral part of education. Students need to stay active even if they stay indoors, to avoid fatigue and lethargy. Sport improves blood circulation and keeps us in good shape. We invite students along with parents to join us on these sports sessions during Easter Holiday, because the power of the example is an important factor for children when it comes to the motivation to stay active ”, said Victoria Foster.

Simona Haiducu, a Ballet and Dance Fusion teacher at Avenor College, contributed to the sports programme and filmed a lesson of pilates for parents in the community. It can be accessed here.

“Pilates exercises are suitable for anyone, regardless of age. During this period it is very important to stay active, even if we are forced to stay inside. The pilates lesson will help you improve your breathing technique, mobility and ability to concentrate. Each exercise is performed paying attention to the breathing techniques. For maximum benefits, it is recommended to practice sports at least three times a week, so I encourage you to take part in the Easter Holiday Virtual School programme and join the school’s sporting initiatives, even during virtual learning, as we know that you were doing it offline too”, said Simona.

In addition to the sport lessons, the entire team of Avenor teachers has prepared interactive programs that will be carried out through the ZOOM application. The activities conceived by Art, Music, Drama and PE teachers are addressed to all of the students and parents in the community who wish to join us. We wish you a peaceful holiday!

Being admitted to High School is an exciting moment that can raise many questions for the high school students. This is why Vanessa, a student in the 12th grade at Avenor College, told us about what the 9th and 10th grades mean for the students who study in the international system and how they are supported by the school, pointing out the most important aspects of the beginning of high school life.

The moment of choosing the subjects: “Think about what you really like.”

“If I were to come up with one piece of advice that I would give to a 9th grade student who is currently choosing subjects, I would tell him to think about what he really likes. It’s no secret, some subjects are harder than others, but passion has the power to diminish differences between subjects. When you learn something you like, it will not be difficult for you ”, Vanessa says. She told us that in 9th and 10th grade it is useful to start experimenting with different study areas, but it is not necessary to know exactly what career path you want to pursue. “At the beginning of high school, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, so I followed the advice of the school: I experimented. I had support from both teachers and parents, I felt that I had time to think well about my choice, and in my school it is not shameful to ask questions, so every time I needed a tip, I asked questions and I found an answer. “

Learn how to plan your time: “You have a lot of time, but don’t waste precious resources”

“At the beginning of the 9th grade, all older colleagues advise you to start learning as early as possible and they are right. From my experience, I can say that if I go back to the 9th grade I would make notes from time to time, I would pay more attention in class and I would definitely clean my closet more often.

At the beginning of high school you seem to have a lot of time until the important exams, but it is good to take the Mock exams seriously. The 10th grade marks will help you get into University. Regardless of the University you will choose later, you must prove that your academic career has been consistent, and if you are responsible with your study time, everything will be much easier. You have plenty of time, but  don’t waste valuable resources.

Whether you choose to follow the study plan prepared by the Student Support Officer according to your needs, or take full responsibility for this, you must take things seriously”, Vanessa told us.

Take care of yourself: “A healthy psychic will help you take good grades.”

It is important to be a good manager of your study time, but in order to devote yourself fully to the study, you also need mental health. Vanessa told us about the PSHE  and the contribution during each student’s academic pathway: “The PSHE classes are the ones that will help you stay focused on studies, but without neglecting your friends or your life outside of school. High School is also the moment you discover yourself, when you learn things about yourself as a human being. At PSHE you discover that you are not the only one asking questions, trying to understand what it means to be authentic, to be ok with who you are. In addition to PSHE classes, you can always go to a school counselor to talk about your feelings and if you feel you need help, it’s good to ask for it. If you understand what’s going on with you, you can focus more on the study, and your grades will improve.”

All Avenor High School graduates now study at their desired universities, in Romania or abroad. If you are interested in our international high school, contact us at admissions@avenor.ro 

Highlight: “Today is a historic day. I started to speak a new language and to make new friends, using a new language. I think I will no longer be a “digital immigrant”. And now I will get a better understanding of how our digital natives think. ”

Dear Parents,

Today, all of us were taking turns, students and teachers. Even though we were far away from each other, the excitement of the on-screen meetings was strong. The first experience of the virtual lessons has shown us that WE CAN provide continuity in the learning process.

Once again it has been proven that children find it easiest to adapt, and we, the others, are following in their footsteps. The four virtual lessons today gave us all a sense of pride and relief due to the enthusiasm, punctuality and seriousness of the children.

We have tested many educational theories today: virtual reality learning, cooperative learning, learning by doing, gradual transfer of responsibility, differentiated instruction, flexible grouping and a growth mindset.

Sofia was so eager to go live that she started chatting on Tuesday. Maya has shown us how great it is to be on stage, especially when you are ‘multitasking’. Ștefan walked us around the world with Virtual Screen Background. Theodora has used almost all the devices to make sure she knows what to do. Edi and Robert are already juggling the Raise Hand and Lower Hand buttons. Alex let himself be conquered by the magic buttons Mute, Unmute and Annotate. Bogdan explained what happens on the screen when one of the participants speaks. Ada and Maya retweeted the theme details in the Stream window in Google Classroom. Ilinca and Ana overcame all the technical obstacles, managing to connect on ZOOM. Kara, Mara and David requested extra hours to improve their communication skills through Share Screen. Almost all of the children contributed to the simulation of a theme at PBL, using a digital design tool to be able to Submit and Turn in the theme.

Today is a historic day. I started to speak a new language and make new friends, using a new language. I think I will no longer be a “digital immigrant”. And now I will get a better understanding of how our digital natives think.

We couldn’t have done it without your help. Therefore, we thank you for your support and we invite you to give us a brief feedback, by accessing the form (hidden link)

We continue to communicate through Engage, Google Classroom, Whatsapp and ZOOM platforms.

With optimism,

Mari Nicolae

Virtual Form Tutor, Avenor College