From the Principal’s Desk, 20 August 2021
Dear Parents
DROP AND GO
We would like to remind parents that children should always exit/enter vehicles on the left hand side. We would like to ensure that our students remain safe at all times.
COVID AND ONLINE LEARNING
Due to the Covid situation in the Western Cape, our hybrid teaching will continue for the remainder of this term.
Please ensure that if your child learns from home they are committed and attend every lesson. Sadly, we do have students who take advantage of the situation.
Every BIS student has an iesmail.com email address. Students are reminded that this address is for school related matters only. All private chats should be done using a private email address.
FEATURE PHOTO
Mr Brian Sizani is our Mathematics and Physics teacher at the High School. He has been at BIS since October 2017.
Did you know…..
- He only reads novels by Martina Cole. He has quite a collection of them.
- He aspires to be an Astrophysicist.
- He was part of the UWC choir for 4 years, singing tenor. He is also a choir member at church, singing tenor solos and at times he gets to conduct the choir.
- He loves traveling and exploring/learning about various cultures, especially indigenous cultures.
- As much as he admires the natural beauty of this planet, he has not been able to overcome his fear of the ocean yet. One day!
Thank you, Brian, for your commitment to the students and the school.
WEEKLY THOUGHT: Discipline in Life
“Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions.” – Eliud Kipchoge
Freedom to do what we want to, when we want to, is usually the type of freedom that the majority of people wish for. But what does this “freedom” mean and how does it manifest practically in everyday life?
For us to better understand what Kipchoge – the world record holder in the marathon – is trying to bring across, let’s take a simple example that most of us can relate to:
Each of us believes that we are free to eat whatever we like. We also believe that we have the choice to exercise as much or as little as we want to. “Yes, we are truly free,” some will remark. But wait, there is a catch…
We all know that if a person eats without any restraint and does no exercise whatsoever, chances are very good that he/she will gain weight. If this continues over an extended period of time, they will gain a lot of weight. This lifestyle has long-term implications, including susceptibility to certain diseases and a variety of other health risks. People in this category are also often not able to participate in many activities, both indoor and outdoor. Though sad and unfortunate, these are facts.
Life gives us many examples like these, proving that exercising our “freedoms” does not always lead to true freedom.
Let’s look at Kipchoge’s words again. He is in fact saying that if we are not slaves to our moods and passions, but live lives of discipline, we will find true freedom.
This may not be the most encouraging message; but when it’s applied, it can be life-changing indeed.
Question: What “freedoms” in your life could lead to circumstances that you would rather avoid?
Have an amazing weekend, let’s remember to be grateful for all the privileges we enjoy daily.
Andre
Read More
From The Principal’s Desk, 21 February 2020
Dear Parents
Last Friday the high school participated in the ISA Inter-Schools Athletics Day. Although we did not win first place for the sport, we were winners in a different sense.
The conduct of our high school students conduct was impeccable. Teachers did not have to address indiscipline at all. Our students were well behaved and enthusiastic in cheering on their team mates.
Their conduct made me reflect on healthy, established boundaries. All children need boundaries. In fact, they thrive when boundaries are set and good structure is in place. When children are younger we teach them rules such as no hitting, no grabbing and no interrupting. When they are older it becomes a little bit more difficult especially with the social interactions they have. This is when we teach them to respect others and the boundaries others have in place for themselves.
To establish this, one has to teach them to be aware not just of themselves, but also of others. We need to teach them to have sympathy, empathy and to be conscious of the feelings of those around them. This will also eliminate any sense of entitlement, as reflection of one’s own behavior helps with self-awareness.
This was the model behavior I witnessed in our students last week. Well done to all parents and staff for their hard work in developing such respectful and conscientious young adults.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend.
Regards
Edna
Discipline 101
One of the most challenging aspects of being a parent or a teacher, is how to discipline a child effectively. It has become more evident with the rushed lifestyle we lead, that if we don’t have some discipline measures in place, both home and school become a nightmare for parents and teachers alike. There have been many articles written about this subject over the years, but I believe that the ‘Constructive Discipline’ approach is by far the best approach. There is documented research showing the benefits of adopting this approach with children.
Below are a few guidelines for constructive discipline, which I have found useful during my years of teaching…
(I find the last one can be the most challenging!)
Principles of Constructive Discipline:
– Create a safe space
– Be respectful and responsible
– Model positive behavior
– Establish rules
– Have clear consequences
– Focus on positive consequences
– Minimise negative consequences
– Practice clear communication
– Listen, listen, and listen!
– Help children solve their problems
– Be consistent
For an interesting read click here: www.selfmanagementforkids.org
Read MoreKim Coetzer
Year 2 Teacher
From the Principal’s Desk – 25th April 2019
Dear Parents
I trust you all had a wonderful Easter break and enjoyed some special family time.
Over the past week or so, bullying at schools has been a hotly discussed topic on the news, radio stations and social media. Cyber bullying was identified as being the most prevalent and therefore, of most concern. It has become such an important discussion topic that the Western Cape Education Department is launching several programs to aid schools in dealing with cyber bullying.
Discipline is a responsibility which starts at home. As a school we need to be mindful of the differing rights and responsibilities of both students and educators, whilst at all times maintaining a positive outlook of our school. Positive discipline practices, and the role which parents play in them, are integral in providing a base on which we can expand as the student matures. However, when things go awry it is important to have the necessary support structures in place, not just for students, but for educators and parents as well. We are therefore very grateful to have Mrs. Cindy Arenstein as an addition to our team. In her capacity as a counselor she recently hosted a talk with parents about Protective Behaviours, in what was an incredibly valuable and informative session.
Our unfortunate reality is that social media is being used to lure students into detrimental, and downright dangerous, situations; cyber bullying being just one aspect of the larger problem. WhatsApp conversations, YouTube and Instagram comments are freely used to criticize and belittle others. Most of the time students are unaware that these messages can be used against them if legal proceedings arise.
We are looking into arranging various workshops and talks to raise awareness amongst our students and help them to be cautious when dealing with social media. We ask that as parents you assist us by having checks in place, in terms of the types of media the students are using and the amount of screen time they rack up on their various devices. Further information about upcoming workshops will be communicated soon.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead.
Kind regards
Edna