Category: School life

Miss Cristina, a math teacher at Avenor College, sends a message to the entire community through the Avenor blog. She shares the experience of the first days of virtual teaching and tells us about the attitude of the students, about the emotions of the first hours online and about the benefits of teaching in this new reality.

“My dears,

Learn today, enjoy tomorrow! It is a principle that I try to instill in my students’ minds every day.

At the beginning I was worried about the news that I will only teach online for the foreseeable future, but after all when we saw each other in the virtual space I began to feel better about this situation. I realised that I am the same, my students behave the same and that the only thing that has changed is the meeting place. It is no longer a room with a number written on it, but a room in which the key is a simple push of a button. One of my goals this year was to introduce technology into teaching. I used Google Classroom (to post lessons, materials, announcements, puzzles), MyKoolio (to make lesson information more attractive) and Mangahigh. From the beginning of this school year, I realised that the Internet can be both our ally and our enemy as teachers. On the first day of online teaching, I felt like I did eight years ago, with conflicting emotions. The most important thing for me was for everyone to be present and healthy.

Now, after seven days of virtual teaching, I can tell you that the biggest advantage of this new reality is that we can continue the learning process without taking long breaks. I am also glad that we are able to save all the documents and lessons, so the students have access to them even if they cannot be present. Now students can leave questions in the chat so as not to interrupt the lesson, they can receive individual and punctual answers. I am happy to discover that my students have more time for individual study and to reflect on concepts.

I have to admit, I miss the interaction between student and teacher. In traditional teaching you can easily observe the positive and negative reactions, you can have moments of reflection in which you can observe the individual work of the student and the ease with which they can learn new concepts, but at the moment I think that online teaching is beneficial to all. It keeps us connected and helps us interact, keeps our relationships alive and authentic.

As a teacher, I am glad that the challenge of teaching online has taken me out of my comfort zone, and has urged me to look for strategies to keep my students as close to our goal as possible: Learn today, enjoy tomorrow! Together we will co-create the best future for each of us.

With love and good thoughts,

Cristina”

At Avenor College, we know that ordinary teaching cannot be simply replicated through virtual learning, but our teachers are making extra efforts to ensure quality virtual learning experiences. We invite you to access our virtual learning plan here.

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

Cristina Bumboiu, teacher and English Curriculum Leader at Avenor College, is one of the members of the leadership team involved in an international training programme dedicated to leaders in education. Today, Cristina tells us more about her project, “Improving Critical Thinking Skills”.

Avenor College: Can you briefly describe your project?

Cristina Bumboiu: Critical thinking translates into a clear and free mind. Learning a new skill does not happen through memorizing information, but through developing the ability to process and work information that we are exposed to. A lot of skills can come under the umbrella of critical thinking: from learning a new language, to understanding a cultural or social context which leads to the development of a certain culture. Therefore, my project is based on the use of “visible learning” strategies to help students select and then analyse the information to then externalise it in front of others. These are abilities that all citizens of the future will need on the road to success.

A.C.: How did you come up with the idea of ​​the project and how does it impact student’s academic life?

C.B.: I believe that in modern society the ability to think critically and to collaborate with others in the learning process has had and will continue to play an important role in the lives of current students – the entrepreneurs of the future. Critical thinking is an essential characteristic of one’s personal and/or professional life, as it helps in communicating ideas and understanding a wide range of concepts. Communication therefore becomes much clearer and more effective.

By developing this skill in school, it becomes much easier for students to create their own learning journeys and to shape their own future, as they have the ability to understand each and every new subject they encounter, they can make connections between information already acquired and new content, which helps them become confident in making their own choices.

A.C.: What are the results you are aiming for?

C.B.: The results I am aiming for go beyond the academic side of the students’ lives as the chosen activities will help them search and find the essence of each new information, beyond the surface. This means that they will be able to analyse any situation from multiple perspectives and to make informed decisions.

Finally, the development of critical thinking does not bring immediate benefits to the student only, but also to the community they are part of. They will be able, at the end of their academic career, to ask relevant questions without being afraid of the reaction of those around them, to support a point of view, to cooperate with their colleagues, to exchange ideas and to accept different points of view, these being some of the global characteristics of a 21st century citizen.

Together with Cristina Bumboiu, six other teachers from our school participate in the National Professional Qualification for Middle Leaders (NPQML) programme. This training helps them develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need in order to lead a performing team in an international school and to improve classroom practice. During the training programme, our teachers develop a project designed to meet a need of the department they represent. We invite you to read on our blog a series of interviews about the NPQML projects of the Avenor College teachers.

Another interview from the series: Learning Leadership: The Impact of Technology in the Classroom

Ana-Caterina, a 10 grade scholarship student at Avenor College, gives her top 3 reasons why she thinks you should apply for a scholarship at our school. We invite you to read them and to apply for a scholarship at Avenor College.

My name is Caterina and I’ve been a scholarship student at Avenor for a long time now. I can say that I consider myself an ‘Avenor Ambassador’ already. For you to have a better outlook, I think I can sum up and share my unique experience as an Avenor scholarship student through the top 3 highlights that made my school years at Avenor amazing from both an academic and personal perspective. I know that each academic journey is unique, but I know for sure that the years you will spend in our school will be amazing, both academically and personally.

• Develop your communication and leadership skills

The fact that the academic results of the Avenor College students are remarkable is already known, but I want to talk to you about how you can develop personally as a scholarship student in my school. Each scholarship project will teach you how to develop your personality, communication and leadership skills, and how to interact with many types of people. That, I think, is the key to this programme – to me, the Avenor College Scholarship offered me the opportunity to explore more aspects of my personality and to capitalize on every skill I acquired.

Starting from the fact that we have the benefit of choosing our own subjects, to the fact that teachers are never bothered when students express their opinions, all these things help us to build ourselves as genuine and sincere individuals towards ourselves, well rounded people, I would say. I believe that this is essential for the development as future citizens of the modern world.

• Your voice is heard by the school`s management

I realized how lucky we are because we had the opportunity to live experiences outside of “Our Avenor”. As scholarship students, we have amazing opportunities: we meet students from other schools, we are part of conferences and discussions with interesting people, top entrepreneurs, university teachers and personalities from all over the world. We travel and experience life on and off campus. These are some of our dearest memories. I remember fondly the moment when I participated in the Youth Summit Transylvania – a meeting of students from all over the world; of all the debate competitions and I remember with gratitude all the meetings with potential teachers in the school, to whom we had the opportunity to give feedback, we had the opportunity to choose for ourselves and on behalf of our school. As a student at Avenor College, it will be very clear to you that you are an important factor in the entire decision-making process.

•  Find your friends and mentors in the community

When I first started writing this “top 3”, I found myself thinking about what I really love about Avenor. It was very easy for me to find the answer: I love the community, the fact that my friends are here, the fact that my voice is heard here. Wherever I go in the world, Avenor will always be an important part of my personality and extremely dear to my heart. You, my future colleagues, will find your friends here and you will learn that it is very easy to trust people around you. When you have a relaxed relationship with your teachers, the learning process becomes easier and more efficient.

Even if I talk to you about the special community we have here in Avenor, and even though I consider it one of our most valuable assets as a school, I think that in each school there should be a sense of individuality for the students. Fortunately, students can find their individuality at Avenor. Each student is seen as an authentic individual, has opportunities folded on his abilities and each feels that he has a road ahead that is adapted to their dreams and passions.

Applications are now open for the Avenor College 2020-2021 Scholarship Programme. From December 9th, 2019 to January 24th, 2020 students from outside the Avenor community can enroll in this programme. This scholarship session is for middle school and high school students who are currently in Grades 6 and 7, respectively in Grade 8 (Year 9) and Grade 10 (Year) 11).

We invite you to find out details about the awarding of scholarships, criteria, registration and the schedule of the program for the 2020-2021 school year by accessing this link.

Tudor is a scholarship student at Avenor College and a senior in high school. He says that one of the most important things he has learned here is how to manage his time in order to prepare as efficient as possible for exams. The mock exams in January will give him the opportunity to test his knowledge and to further plan his learning for the A Level exams. We invite you to learn more about Tudor’s journey at Avenor College in this interview.

Avenor College: Why is it important to get good grades at mock exams in January, although A Level final exams are scheduled at the end of the school year?

Tudor: Sometimes, when you learn a lot for an exam that is very distant in time, you tend to not realize how much or if you have evolved. That’s why mocks are a very important benchmark for me. First of all, I am preparing very well because I know that a good result will motivate me to continue to learn better. I am confirming that my efforts and the efforts of the school help me get to where I set myself, that is, to have a successful career in the field I have chosen. I want to study at one of the best auto engineering universities in the world, from where I will run my business in the automotive field. I will also experiment with a variety of internships at large companies in this industry.

Avenor College: Do you feel that your journey in the international education system has taught you how to prepare for such difficult exams, now and in the future?

Tudor: Yes, of course. At Avenor I have acquired skills that will be useful throughout my academic life and beyond. This year, whilst preparing for the mocks, I realized that one of the most valuable things I learned at Avenor was how to be a good manager of my time, how to be flexible with myself and my own learning needs. I know how to give myself time when a topic seems complicated to me, I know how to approach such situations and I am willing to ask for help from teachers when I feel the need. Each student has an individual learning schedule for this exam session, and this year we had the opportunity to prepare our learning and consolidation plans with the support of the school. These things made our learning process a lot easier.

Avenor College: What does your learning plan look like?

Tudor: Because I have found that I have a very technical learning style, my learning plan looks very mathematical, but I avoid becoming extremely strict. Because, after last year’s mock exams, I changed my Art exam to a more complicated one, Further Mathematics, now, I have more to learn. Basically, I have to learn two years in one. The international system is quite flexible, which is why it gave me the opportunity to make this important change. However, my learning plan has changed drastically after this decision. Having more to learn, I made a long-term learning plan, but one that allowed me to avoid the burnout effect. With the help of the Student Support Officer, I managed to develop a personalised learning plan, which I can follow easily.

At the end of January, Avenor College high school students are fully involved in the mock examinations for the IGCSE and A Level end-of-year exams. The students in grades 9 to 12 take a total of 73 written mock exams, for which they have prepared with the help of personalised learning and consolidation plans, under the guidance of the teachers and with the support of the Student Support Officer, the person who makes sure that students prepare effectively for exams.

We are very proud of our senior year students who had a first opportunity to feel the emotions of their last year of high school when they delivered speeches in front of a very special audience: their teachers, colleagues and most importantly, their parents as part of their Romanian language course graduation. 

They have been preparing for this moment for almost a year, with the support of Liviu Papadima, vice-rector of the University of Bucharest and public speaking trainer. Mr. Papadima was also a member of the jury for this public speaking event, alongside Dana Papadima, educational director and Avenor College’s Communications and Admissions Manager, Raluca Tarcea.

Mihaela Stancu, Romanian language teacher, challenged her grade 12 students to imagine their life 10 years from now. And the result was amazing. Our Grade 12 students managed to capture their audience within the first minutes of their speeches. It was a very emotional moment both for them and for their audience, as their answers were creative, authentic and original. 

Leon is aiming to have a balanced life, pursuing his career in sports and his academic goals. Ana invited the audience to become acquainted with the idea of​ “​I don’t know what my future holds” and “I don’t want to know.” While some of our students set goals for their careers, Tudor, a future Avenor College graduate, ended his speech with a phrase that raised the audience’s applause: “In 10 years, I want to be comfortable with myself.”

As the president of the jury, Dana Papadima concluded, “our students have proven a good friendship with the Romanian language” and very strong public speaking skills, all required abilities for the future leaders of Romania.

Școala de Acasă is a parenting programme dedicated to Avenor community parents. The aim is to bring the parents together so they can share experiences, concerns and find common ground. 

Simona Istrate, Managing Partner at Business Through People, friend and parent in the Avenor community, talked about the real point of offering gifts and receiving them in a new session of the Școala de Acasă programme. 

As we enter this holiday season, it makes sense for us to pause for a moment and think about gifts. Simona Istrate talked about how offering gifts and receiving gifts is something that should not be a chore for any of us: be it parents, grandparents, sons and daughters. When you give gifts, you are giving something willingly without wanting something in return and when you are receiving a gift you must acknowledge that the giver wants to show you how special and dear you are to his heart, Simona explained. 

The parents responded generously to Simona’s invitation to reflect, sharing personal experiences. It turns out that if the new generations, the Millennials and the Z Generation, were born with the natural talent of receiving and giving, the older generations grew up believing that it’s more noble to give than to receive. 

The speaker talked about how the older generations need to learn to accept receiving love, caring, compliments and gifts. Letting ourselves receive deeply and graciously is a gift to the giver, Simona explained. 

The coach encouraged other parents to take a step forward and be part of an exercise: imagine the relationship between two people as a string connecting them. This string is kept alive by intimacy, reciprocity, kind words, honesty and these are all gifts. 

To sum it all up, Simona and her discussion partners concluded that the gift itself and the cost of the gift are not that important. The fact that the item represents care and love is what matters.

Manuela Nae, our Compliance Director, explains why safety is our school’s main priority every school year.

“At Avenor, we co-create the best future for each student, for each member of the community and for all of us together, within and beyond the school. This implies a lot of learning experiences that are metamorphosed into skills later on, but it also implies risks.

For this reason, our priority is keeping the community safe, in all its aspects and no matter the costs”, Manuela explains. 

Avenor College: How does every member of the team know how to act correctly in risk situations?

Manuela Nae: We have a set of specific policies and procedures in place. But the most important aspect is implementing them, and we are aware of it. That is why we regularly train the team on first aid procedures, daily routine procedures, safety rules and risk assessment for any off-campus trips. We consider that all these activities increase the degree of responsibility and responsiveness of each member of the staff, and this can really make a difference in crisis situations. 

At Avenor College, we take seriously our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. All staff members should be aware of the early help process and understand their role in identifying emerging problems, sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment of a child’s needs. 

A.C.: In 2018, Avenor College was visited by the BSO inspectors. What did they have to say about the safety procedures in our school?

M.N.: Having safety procedures that are known and implemented by each member of our community weighted heavily when the BSO inspectors gave the final rating of the school. I am very happy and proud to say that our Health and Safety Policies and Procedures met the BSO standards and significantly contributed to obtaining the “Good with Outstanding features” rating in November 2018. 

How early can we teach a child to be safe and healthy? From an early age, we might say.

The week before the mid-term holiday, October 21st – November 1st, involved all of the nursery children in the Health & Safety Week event through a series of fun and practical activities. The Health and safety event helps children to think critically and play creatively, so we planned activities to encourage physical exercise, mental and emotional well-being, food and nutritional habits, and hygiene and safety matters. 

It was a very busy week, so without any further ado find out all of the specific activities which kept us on the boil:

Dr. Livia Sorohan, our nursery paediatrician, visited each classroom and explained to children about hygiene, germs and methods to keep us clean and protected. 

With regards to safety, children from all groups received a visit from Radu Bălașa, a specialised ISU inspector, who explained how to extinguish a fire and how to react in case of an earthquake. Moreover, as part of our regular safety procedures, children took part in emergency drills.

What does a healthy smile look like? This was the question that Dent Estet together with Reception Blue children answered in order to find out the best tips on how to properly take care of teeth.

In order to connect physical exercise with Famous People and History, children from Year 1 visited “Muzeul Sportului”. During the trip to the Museum of Romanian Sport, children found out about the history of famous people and Romanian sport and they also observed photographs, trophies, medals, and equipment.

It is not a surprise that spending time outdoors is one of the most loved activities by all children, as they can spend hours and hours finding various ways of playing, while observing and exploring. Therefore, Nursery Orange, Nursery Blue and Reception Green children went to the Japanese Garden to take part in some interactive movement games. Their trip was a real blast!

Finally, what better place than a market for finding out more about smart nutrition? Year 1 children went to Domenii Market to buy their favourite fruit and vegetables. It was a great opportunity to learn outside the classroom about seasonal products and to practise a little bit of Maths skill by using money to pay for their purchases. 

Remember to keep healthy and safe!