I arrive about 20 minutes before the ASC starts with shopping bags full of healthy snacks for the children which get prepared before they arrive just after 16.00 hours. Once the bell rings I am ready with clipboard in hand to check who is at school that day, who is joining After School Clubs and who is coming straight to the ASC room.

The children wash their hands, take a seat and start devouring snacks which can range from yoghurt and muesli, toast bread with ham, cheese or jam, cheesy fajitas, cucumber and tomatoes etc.

Once their bellies are full we clean up and get ready to play board games, read, some even do their homework or if the weather is good play outside on the sport field. The children enjoy their time together and start to wind down from their busy day at school.

Around 17.00 hours it’s changeover time - the children from the clubs join us and a few children from ASC will already get picked up by their parents. Between 17.00-18.00 hours the number of children dwindles to a few and my colleague and I, with help from the children, start cleaning up and getting everyone ready to go home. At 18.00 hours everyone has been picked up, the dishwasher gets turned on, we lock up and it’s time to go home.

I very much enjoy the time with the children. They are kind and creative, love to chat and tell me about their day at school. It reminds me of my school days and brings back lots of memories. 

Niamh Shilling, team After School Care

On the 5th of April 2024, the kindergarten organised an art exclusive exhibition for the parents to mark the culmination of an enriching journey into the world of art. 

Throughout Term 3, the focus was on the theme of "Art and Artists," inspiring the children to explore the works of renowned artists such as Paul Klee, Picasso, Kandinsky, and Jackson Pollock. The children delved into the techniques and styles of artists, learning to appreciate the diversity of artistic expression. From vibrant paintings to imaginative sculptures, each artwork reflected the unique perspective and creativity of its young creator.

The exhibition was not just a display of artwork but a celebration of the children's artistic growth and achievements.

It was a very successful event and the parents left with their hearts full of pride and memories of a truly inspiring showcase of young talent. 

Reena Morvee Shrestha, teacher Kindergarten

Im letzten Quartal unternahm die 2. Klasse eine spannende Zeitreise in die faszinierende Welt des Alten Ägyptens. Die Kinder haben sich auf den Spuren der Pharaonen, Mumien und Pyramiden begeben und viel über diese einzigartige Kultur gelernt.

Im Geschichtsunterricht tauchten wir in die lange Geschichte des Alten Ägyptens ein. Wir lernten die wichtigsten Pharaonen kennen, erfuhren von ihrem Leben in prächtigen Palästen und bestaunten die riesigen Pyramiden, die sie als Grabmäler erbauen liessen.

Im Kunstunterricht wurden wir selbst zu kreativen Ägyptern. Aus alt aussehendem Papier gestalteten wir wunderschöne Papyrusrollen und versuchten uns in der Kunst der Hieroglyphen, der alten Schrift der Ägypter. Mit viel Geduld und Geschick übten wir die geheimnisvollen Zeichen und Symbole.

Dazu bastelten wir ein traditionelles ägyptisches Musikinstrument, das Sistrum. Mit seinen klimpernden Rasseln und Schellen sorgte es für fröhliche Klänge im Unterricht und liess uns die Tänze und Feste der alten Ägypter erahnen.

In Mathematik beschäftigten wir uns mit kniffligen Textaufgaben, die uns in die Welt der ägyptischen Händler und Handwerker entführten. Ausserdem sanken wir in die Geheimnisse der Zeitmessung ein und lernten verschiedene Uhren kennen.

Die Kinder waren mit Feuereifer bei der Sache und haben viel Spass beim Lernen über das Alte Ägypten gehabt.

Admira Nenaj, Lehrerin Primar 2

The Primary 3 class were busy discovering the topics to be covered this term. They have been recalling how to tell time and to solve problems in context.

They also had a blast running and building endurance in sport. In UOI, we have been doing experiments to discover the stages of the water cycle. It’s been an eventful couple of weeks and we’re just getting started!

Ann Müller, teacher Primary 3

This semester in Year 4 we reimagined math as not only numbers and equations, but as a tool to solve real problems. Students were tasked with solving problems, ranging from organizing a school bake sale to planning a wildlife garden and managing snacks for their term-end party. Each project required them to apply their math skills in contexts that motivated them and brought deeper meaning to their mathematical learning.

To encourage collaboration and communication, students worked in rotating partners for different projects to ensure that everyone could learn from each other’s strengths. Three students for example, teamed up to sort out the quantities needed for the bake sale, effectively using their addition and multiplication skills to adjust recipes for larger batches.

Vanesa and Jacob tackled the garden project, calculating the weekly water needs for various plants, and adapting their plans for seasonal changes. They were proud to know that their calculations were important for the Sustainability team's garden plans.

An important closure of each lesson is the Math Congress, where students present their problem-solving strategies and outcomes. This forum is not only about showcasing individual or pair work but also about collective learning and constructive feedback. Students communicate different ideas for solving problems and learn a variety of strategies. This offers a much richer learning environment as opposed to being taught only 1 way of solving a problem by the teacher.  Vanesa's clear explanation of how she and Jacob converted measurements for the wildlife garden project gave other students opportunities to ask questions and apply these strategies to their problems.

Students are assessed not only on getting the correct answer, but on their knowledge, strategy, communication, and application of their mathematical understanding. This assessment approach means that students have to demonstrate a much deeper understanding of the problem, the effectiveness of their strategies, and their ability to communicate their thought processes. Each student was encouraged to reflect on their learning and identify areas for growth, which they could discuss during the Math Congress.

Seeing my Year 4 students jump into real-world math problems has been a revelation. They've not only tackled the problems with enthusiasm but have also shown a lot of growth in their ability to think critically and work together. Discussions are livelier, and it's clear they're making connections that go beyond the classroom. They are not just learning math, but how to communicate and cooperate. I couldn't be prouder of their progress.

Emily Gray, teacher Primary 4

Manchmal braucht es gar nicht viel, um andere glücklich machen zu können. Dies durfte die Primar 6 am 27. März 2024 einmal mehr feststellen, als wir gemeinsam in das Alterzentrum Dreilinden in Rotkreuz gingen.

Bestückt mit einem Meer aus Osterkörben haben wir uns auf den Weg zum Alterszentrum gemacht. Hier möchten wir erneut die Gelegenheit nutzen, um Ihnen als Eltern Danke zu sagen, für alle diese grosszügigen Osterkörben, die Sie gemeinsam mit ihren Kindern gebastelt haben.

Im Zentrum Dreilinden wurden wir von den Bewohnern mit offenen Armen empfangen. Nach einer kurzen Vorstellungsrunde haben wir uns an die Tische der Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner gesetzt und uns mit ihnen unterhalten. In einer doch eher kurzen Zeit haben wir viele Geschichten der Bewohnerinnen und Bewohnern hören dürfen, sei es, wie das Leben früher war, wieso sie nun da wohnen und noch vieles mehr. Auch hat es sie interessiert, was bei uns an der Schule in der nächsten Zeit so ansteht. Einige Schülerinnen und Schüler durften dann mit Freude von ihrer Teilnahme am SIS-Cup erzählen.

Die Dankbarkeit der Bewohnerinnen und Bewohnern war unglaublich. Es war ein sehr gelungener Morgen, wo ein reger Austausch stattgefunden hat.

Michèle Schuler, Lehrerin Primar 6

At present, it feels everywhere we look in the world there is some form of unrest and conflict. From the Middle East, to Taiwan, we are living in a time of international instability.
Winston Churchill once said, ‘“Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” A powerful and impactful quote, especially for those of us privileged to be able to inspire and teach the next generation.

Last term, the Secondary class have been reflecting on the state of change in Europe post WWI and how Adolf Hitler was able to take advantage of a volatile environment to send the continent back to war just over twenty years later.

Throughout our lessons, the students have been intrigued and dismayed by how a lonely German corporal was able to go from nothing to being the instigator of the greatest atrocities the world has ever seen. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing, yet to really understand how the Nazi party rose to power, we’ve had to put ourselves in the shoes of those living in the 1920s and 30s. Identifying and comprehending their challenging circumstances is the key to seeing how Hitler was able to take advantage of their fear.

After journeying through this period of history together, a final and important question remains: Could this happen again?

Of course, it is not possible to answer with complete certainty. We can only hope that through learning and reflecting on history, that the future generation will ensure the past does not repeat itself. 

Samuel Windsor, teacher Secondary