A Lesson in Learning

On a recent trip to the US, as I was at the gate awaiting my flight, I ran into Mr. Smith, a parent from a school at which I served as Head of School.  It was great to see him, and we immediately began talking about his family and particularly about his son, Amos, who was a student of mine in Advanced Placement Physics BC (a college level course which I was privileged to teach).

 

At the beginning of the school year, Amos showed a real interest in the physics, asking many questions in class and interacting in a lively manner. 

 

As the class went on, however, I began to notice he dropped off on his homework and had difficulty getting his lab reports in on time.  This is a real problem for me, since I required homework to be turned in every day, covering the material we had covered the previous day. 

 

Amos’s mother and I communicated frequently on the phone about this issue. She supervised his homework every evening with little effect.  Even though he completed it in front of her, he would frequently forget to turn it in or lose it altogether before class the next day.  This was an almost nightly occurrence.

 

Amos was hit and miss on biweekly summative assessments; he could handle many of the problems that had been assigned, but not all.  He also seemed to understand what was happening in lab, but again, Amos had difficulty turning them in fully completed. 

 

Mrs, Smith and I continued to work together to try an help Amos keep up in class, but as we continued through the year, it became more and more apparent Amos had a different way of learning and processing.  For example, he was the only one in class who never took a note during the class discussion.  He always listened intently, but never wrote anything down. It make me wonder how much he was really grasping. 

 

By the end of semester one, he had the lowest grade in class, a “D,” mostly related to the daily assignments he was missing.  He really stood out among his classmates, who were perfect in the homework, as they were the most able kids in the Senior Class. 

 

As college acceptances began to arrive, there was considerable concern in Amos’ family because of his low grade and study habits in my class.  His parents and I were in constant dialogue trying to figure out a way to help Amos.

 

Finally, one morning when I came to school, I noticed Amos sitting against the locker in Senior Hallway helping his classmates solving the physics problems that were due that morning.  The incongruity stuck me immediately: how was he helping others with the most challenging problems, while he couldn’t (didn’t) turn in his own homework? 

 

It became more and more obvious to me Amos learned a different way than the other kids in my class.  So I finally (duh!) altered the way I would assess him homework, since he had a different way of learning physics.

 

That day, I asked if Amos if he would be willing to select the most difficult problem of the day and help his classmates through the problem at the very beginning of the class (that was usually my job).  We agreed that if he would do this, I would give him full credit for completing the homework for the day.  Amos agreed and never looked back!

 

When I met Amos’ dad at the airport, all these memories came flooding back.  I was so interested to learn what had become of Amos after leaving High School.  How did he handle the demands of college and what was he doing for a career? 

 

I was gratified to learn of the next installment!  I discovered Amos had received a “4” on the Advanced Placement Physics Exam, one of the highest grades in the class.  Yes, he had graduated from High School and had received an acceptance to an excellent four year college where he chose physics as his major and completed his course successfully.  Since he wanted to apply his love for physics in a practical manner, he also applied and was accepted to Harvard Business School, where he graduated with his MBA.  Finally, he was offered a position with a start-up high tech firm in Austin, Texas, where he was enjoying his career immensely.

 

I was so excited and impressed to hear of Amos’ wonderful success; I was also reminded of the way in which God has gifted each of us in a different ways to meet the diverse needs and opportunities in our exciting world! 

 

Thanks be to God!

 

Courageous Leadership

On Friday, I had the unique opportunity to hear the Vice President of the United States, Mr. Joe Biden, speak at Yonsei University, just over the back fence of our School. In addition to being aware that I would probably never get this opportunity at home in the US, I was quite impressed by Mr. Biden’s strong presence and impressive delivery.

 

However, the most important part of his remarks were not centered on the economy in the US which he indicated was growing, nor on his perspective of the US foreign policy. No, it was on his reflection surrounding the recent death of the world leader, Nelson Mandela.

 

As with many other world leaders, Biden commented on Mandela’s strong traits: his wisdom, his compassion, his unusual courage, but most remarkably, his commitment to forgiveness.

 

Biden reflected on a conversation with Mr. Mandela. Biden asked Mandela, “Why don’t you feel more resentful and hateful since you spent 27 years, possibly the most productive of your life, detained in jail?”

 

Amazingly, Mandela’s reply was something like this,  “Well, you know, while I was in jail those many years, I got to know the jailer’s quite well. When I was finally set free, the jailers lined up waiting to shake my hand as I left the jail cell.”

 

Mandela’s response provided a window into his soul.  What was important to him was always the human element in those around him. Mandela could see beyond his detention to recognize the great personal privilege he had in connecting with other humans.

 

And that was all. What do we make of this man with the courage of patience and commitment to his vision? How can we harmonize this attitude of gratefulness in the midst of dire circumstances, this commitment to others in the midst of great restraint for what could have been. Mandela must have understood deeply that his responsibility was to focus on the things he could change, not on those things beyond his control.

 

It is clear that Mandela went through the great challenge of difficulty to develop his character of courage, commitment, and vision. But these character traits taken together also established the amazing characteristic of forgiveness. That characteristic allowed him to found and lead a nation torn by racial hatred and great struggle for power to be a nation of one people, the great South Africa.

 

Peace be to his memory.

 

God At Work

During the week of Chusok (Korean Thanksgiving), Alice and I had the chance to visit our daughter, Erica, and her husband, Mike, at their new school posting in Jakarta, Indonesia.  Erica and Mike had just given birth to their second daughter, Chiara.

While we were visiting, I had the chance to talk with their new nanny, Nunung, who had just joined the family several weeks before.  She was very open about her story and although not a native English speaker, her English skills were excellent.

Nunung told me she was born in Jakarta, and attended grade school and a couple of years in high school in Jakarta.  However, because she was short in stature, she was ridiculed by her classmates for her small size, and after many years of this, it was just too much to take; she dropped out of school at age 16.

Things were not much better at home.  Nunung said her parents continually pressured her to go out and earn money for the family.  She seldom felt love or kindness from her parents, so after several years of trying to make this work, she decided to leave home.

Since she had no technical training or skills, she applied for positions serving as a nanny.  She was able to find work, but still felt unfulfilled as a person.  Nunung shared that when the kids were down for a nap, she would usually spend that time crying, just because she felt so depressed and empty.  She would cry all the time, believing there was no God, because she couldn’t understand how her life could be so miserable if God did, in fact, exist.  She had felt so unloved for so long- from her family, even from her boyfriend.

However, one family for whom Nunung was working had an extensive library and said she could have access to any of the books she while she was working for them.  Because her English was quite good, she made use of the library whenever she could.

One day, Nunung found a book unlike all the others.  It was black and had a leather cover.  She began reading a section of the book called “Psalms” and she read the name of God.  As she continued reading, she felt God’s love for her and experienced a sense of peace for the first time in her life.

Finally, she shared that through The Bible, she learned of Jesus and his love for her as well.  “Now,” she said, “I am a follower of Jesus and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Nunung continued to share how her relationship with Christ had enabled her to do what she never thought she’d be able to do: forgive.  She was able to finally forgive her parents and her boyfriend for the many ways they had hurt her.  Nunung continued to seek out churches and a community to support her as she grew as a Christian, was eventually baptized and has since shared her testimony willingly and openly with many others.

It is encouraging to know that God is always at work- in foreign countries and in our own homes.  He speaks to us through circumstances, through others, through His Word, and His love changes lives.

Praise God!

John Engstrom

Head of School

Comments to SFS Faculty

 

I just want to thank you for your continued excellent work with our students.  Yes, I mean the way you motivate them to do work hard, be creative, be collaborative and commit to mastery.  I hope you were able to look at the recent MAP scores of our Grade 1-8 students.  Just spectacular!  On average, our students outperformed their counterparts in every grade in every category.  And they out-performed all the students in EARCOS schools, the strongest region among all the schools world-wide.   Congratulations to all who played a role in helping our students achieve at such a high level.  But today, I want to emphasize the way in which you care for them.

Last week end I had the chance to join 50 other EARCOS heads of school in Ho Chi Minh City to hear Pat Bassett, president of National Association of Independent Schools in the USA, about 3000 private schools.  He had some great things to say, but he began in a most interesting manner. He asked us to think back to the teacher who had the greatest impact on our lives.  Once we identified that person in our heads, he asked us to think of three characteristics that made those teachers so special.

I immediately thought of my MS PE teacher, Carl Saline.  I was a marginal athlete at best, but, in spite of that,  he really cared about me. He encouraged my interest in athletics and it made a huge difference in my life. Not my athletic life, but my life in general.

Finally, Pat Bassett passed around the microphone and asked each of us to say the teacher’s name and the one characteristic that had the biggest impact.  It was great hearing each person report on their teacher, some ES some MS and some HS teachers.

After everyone had finished, Pat reflected on the characteristics:  a few said something like opened my eyes to history or the excitement of art or chemistry, but the vast majority were things like “treated me as an individual,” made me feel special, cared about me, they had a special relationship with me, encouraged me.  This is coming from people who have dedicated their lives to education. The majority of the report centered on what we call the soft side of our work.

Last week, I also had the opportunity to participate in conversations with four finalists for the Alumni Essay Awards.  When one was asked what he considered to be the essence of his career at SFS, he answered, “the relationships with my coaches and teachers.  They have shaped my experience have helped me “embrace the new identity I will have as an SFS alumnus.”  This young man is an outstanding student and understands the importance of the academic work and the preparation for college done here at SFS.  But even more so in a personal way, he understands the transformative dynamic of relationships and is a beneficiary of them.

As I reflected on this conversation, and my weekend with the EARCOS heads, I began to understand again, the critical nature of the way we reach out to our students, the way we care about them, the way in which we love them.  For it is in these relationships–  perhaps the most important aspect of the SFS experience, we commend the Faith to them, we help them build a vision for their futures, we help them gain the self-confidence they need,  and we become a part of the transformation of their lives.

In my role, I often have the good fortune to see you caring for our students individually, meeting their needs, being sensitive to their feelings and relating to them with love and grace.  We talk about these attitudes regularly; they are integrated into the character of our school.  As I thought about this, I realized how fortunate we all are to be in a school where these Transformational attitudes, we call them Christ-like attitudes, are a major focus.

It’s so exciting to see you demonstrate this care all the time, whether you are coaching, teaching or disciplining a students, these attitudes of love, care and individual attention are a hallmark of your work. On Friday, as I was speaking with a teacher, a student came up and wanted to talk with her as well.  After my short conversation was over, the teacher bent down and said, “Thanks so much for waiting politely for your turn.  I am very proud of you.”   Whether you are aware of it or not, you are making an impact that transforms life, one person at a time. It is exciting to see and I thank you for it.

 

How Children Succeed

 

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was an excellent book from my son-in-law: How Children Succeed, by Paul Tough, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, in 2012.  Mr. Tough thesis is that our children need two things to succeed in approximately equal amounts: academic skills and strong character.

Mr. Tough examines underperforming high schools in the United States to identify the academic skills needed to be successful, roughly defined as finishing a college program in six years, maintaining a successful career in one’s chosen field, and maintaining mature relationships among friends.

As he examines schools that don’t work, he finds young people living in dysfunctional families living below the poverty line (defined and yearly family incomes below $43,000).  Many of these children deal with stressful environments characterized by malnutrition, substance abuse and violence.

However, even in the midst of such challenges, Mr. Tough identifies several young people who are able to cope with such environments such that they can develop the academic skills they need for success.  These young people are interviewed at some length to help us put a finger on the essence of their success.

We are introduced to Keitha Jones, a seventeen year old high school senior.  Although she had been raised in a very challenging family environment and attended Fenger High School (a school in which fewer than half the ninth-graders were able to graduate), she was able to graduate and attend college at Western Illinois University the following year.

Concerning Keitha’s success in college, Mr. Tough makes four particularly useful suggestions:

1. Character Traits Matter. Mr. Tough writes,  “…science suggests …that the character strengths that matter so much to young people’s success are not innate; they don’t appear in us magically, as a result for good luck or good genes.  And they are not simply a choice.  They are rooted in brain chemistry, and they are molded in measurable and predictable ways, by the environment in the which children grow up.” P. 195-196.  These traits can be nurtured and cultivated using the principles listed below in suggestions 2, 3, and 4. It’s been my experience that these opportunities are available to all our students almost every day.  We must understand their importance in the lives of our students and leverage them whenever possible.

 

1. Adversity is Essential.  Tough writes personally about his child Ellington: “As Ellington grew older, though, I found as countless parents had found before, that they needed something more than love and hugs.  He also needed discipline, rules, limits; someone to say no.  And what he needed more than anything was some child-size adversity, a chance to fall down and get back up on his own, without help.  This was harder for Paula and me- it came less naturally to us than the hugging and comforting – and I know that it is just the beginning of the long struggle we will face, as all parents do, between our urge to provide everything for our child, to protect him from all harm, and our knowledge that if we really want him to succeed, we need to first let him fail.  Or more precisely, we need to help him learn to manage failure.”  About all students the objective is, “… to teach them how to learn from each failure, how to stare at their failures with unblinking honesty, how to confront exactly why they had messed up.  If they could do that…they would do better next time.”  P. 183.

 

1. Non-cognitive Skills Must Be Acquired. Tough writes extensively about the critical nature of non-cognitive skills needed for success in college and life beyond.  By this he means, “…skills like the resilience and resourcefulness and grit (which are) highly predictive of success in college.” P. 168.

 

Other education leaders identify this category of skills as critical components of college success including, “study skills, work habits, time management, help-seeking behavior and social/academic problem-solving skills.  OneGoal founder Jeff Nelson referrers to them as “Leadership Principles,” such as resourcefulness, resilience, ambition, professionalism, and integrity. P. 161-162.

 

Tough’s contention is that these kind of skills can be fostered by teachers who are trained and committed to working with students to help them grow in these areas. Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, believes that optimism is a learnable skill, not an inborn trait.  Seligman writes that optimistic people will become happier, healthier and more successful.  His book, Learned Optimism, has been used in some schools to help develop these non-cognitive skills. P. 53

 

1. Allow for the Possibility of Failure.  Tough’s research led him to school leaders concerned that parents, “…while pushing their children to excel, inadvertently shield them from exactly the kind of experience that can lead to character growth.” P. 84.  One school leader said, “Our kids don’t put up with a lot of suffering.  They don’t have a threshold for it.  They’re protected against quite a bit.  And when they do get uncomfortable, we hear from their parent.”

 

One of the teachers at Riverdale Country Day School (a private school in New York City) said, “Overindulging kids, with the intention of giving them everything and being loving, but at the expense of their character- that’s huge in our population. I think that’s one of the biggest problems we have at Riverdale.”

 

Mr. Tough writes, “This is an issue for all parents, of course, not just affluent ones.  It is a central paradox of contemporary parenting, in fact: we have an acute, almost biological impulse to provide for our children to give them everything they want and need, to protect them from dangers and discomforts both large and small.  And yet we know – on some level, at least- that what kids need more than anything is a little hardship: some challenge, some deprivation that they can overcome, even if just to prove to themselves that they can.”

 

Mr. Randolph, the Head of School at Riverdale realized, “…the best way for a young person to build character is for him to attempt something where there is a real and serious possibility of failure.  In a high-risk endeavor, whether it’s in business or athletics or the arts, you are more likely to experience colossal defeat than in a low-risk one- but you’re also more likely to achieve real and original success. The idea of building grit and building self-control is that you get that through failure.”  P. 85.

 

When I reflect on the importance of these “real-life” situations, such as the laboratories of athletic or academic competition, I am gratified that SFS has invested in these kinds of activities.  We encourage our students to participate, thereby giving them the benefit of character building experiences during their formative years.

 

In addition, our emphasis on the performing arts also gives our students the chance to confront failure and the benefit of building additional character. They realize this real-life challenge every time they go on stage in a musical or dramatic performance.  We recognize the critical nature of these experiences in helping our students learn to deal with failure, and to cope with adversity, vital skills they will need as they meet impending challenges.

 

I certainly recommend Tough’s book for parents of college-bound children. He suggests a great number of common sense recommendations as well as research-based ideas beneficial to help parents and teachers prepare their students for future success.

My Summer Vacation

 

When the Admin Team got together for a time of retreat at the end of July, I asked them to reflect on the highs and lows of their recently concluded summer break.

For me the high was an easy one.  Alice and I celebrated our 40^th Anniversary by gathering the family for a week in Kauai, Hawaii.  We are incredibly blessed to have three great kids who are happily married to three wonderful spouses and four gifted grandchildren.  We just relished the time together hanging at the beach and in the rental, playing with all the kids.

The most challenging aspect of the summer was also easy for me to identify.  As some of you may recall, last year I talked about losing my Dad at age 97 the previous spring.  He was fully aware and relatively active right up to the end of his life.

My Mom is still living in the same nursing home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but she suffers from dementia.  Although she is still healthy at 96, her short term memory is almost non-existent and her long-term memory isn’t much better.

Alice and I always try to visit whenever we are in the area, but this often limits us to once a year, during the summer.  We make the drive from Minneapolis early in the morning arriving about noon to sit with Mom at lunch.  We then try and connect with her for an hour or so, before she goes for her afternoon nap.

When we return during dinner, she does not really remember who we are or that we visited early in the day.  The same thing occurs when we return for breakfast the next morning.

We bring family photos and share with Mom what we are doing in South Korea and give her an update on our children and grandchildren.  She nods slowly, but is never able to frame a question or reflect on anything we have said.  She’s in a stage where reading does not work, even watching a movie is beyond her capability to remember and understand.

I sit and watch so many just like my mom, and ask the question, “Why?”  It has always been my perspective that we were placed here on Earth to make a contribution to the lives of others, to share God’s goodness and make a difference.  For much of my life, Mom demonstrated this very principle.

She was raised on a Northern Wisconsin farm, in a family of 11 children, the eldest daughter.  During her elementary school years, when her own mother became bedridden, much of the cooking and cleaning for the family fell to her.  Upon completion of eighth grade from Becker School, she was forced to drop out of school so she could cook for her siblings, do the laundry and clean the house.  Although she was the only graduate that year, and we often kidded her about being the valedictorian from Beck Tech, her practical education was second to none.

During the winter, her father operated a lumber camp in the North woods, just to make ends meet as many of the farmers did.  Because there was no one else, he asked his eldest daughter to do the cooking for the 20 lumberjacks in the lumber camp as well.  She knew the meaning of hard work and responsibility at a very early age.

When she was 24, marriage to my Dad brought her out of this kind of life, she used her new setting in Chicago to continue learning and making a contribution.  Although her lack of schooling was often a psychological barrier for embracing new opportunities, she became very involved in the local schools, volunteering and assisting in any way she could.  During my years at Kenton Elementary school, she was voted to become the PTA president, a role she took very seriously.  She was involved in numerous church activities and community programs.

Because of her background in cooking from a very young age, she put her expertise to work, catering for the “wealthy folks” along Michigan Avenue on the gold coast in Chicago.  Among her clients were the Kohl family, owners of the Kohl Department Stores located throughout the Midwest.

Her expertise in cooking and entertaining became known throughout our local area and she would often be called upon to present a workshop on the art of entertaining among the women of the local area.  Through her reputation and hard work, she also became President of the Christian Women’s club in the suburbs of Chicago.

From Mom’s attitude and work ethic, I knew meaning in life came by service to others, even at great cost.

And now I find myself asking the question, how can this be?  How can my Mom, so influential and accomplished be so incapable and reliant on others?  Is this part of God’s plan?  How can it be so?

On the seven hour ride home, Alice and I struggled with this, asking the questions with no answers, concluding that we may end up some day in the same sad situation.

What happens to Christ’s emphasis on serving the poor and needy?  How does this fit for a woman in my Mom’s situation?

Perhaps these questions will remain unanswered throughout my lifetime.  And this we will have to accept.  As Alice and I talked this over on the long ride home, we found several possible nuggets of meaning to come from our visit.

The first for me is perhaps this is God’s way of preparing us for the loss to come.  Certainly, if Mom would have had a sudden death when she was far younger it would have generated other difficult questions.  In many ways we are already experiencing gradual loss over these many months.

Secondly, the powerful message was this, “To much has been given, much is expected.”  We have been given much, the gift of a sound mind, energy, knowhow, and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others.  This will not be the case forever; God has given us many gifts we are in this place to use them for His glory.

Finally, we are expected to live faithfully, on behalf of Mom.  As we do so we honor her life, her vision for us, her three children, for her 10 grandchildren and for her 17 great grandchildren.

Perhaps the song by a contemporary Christian artist, Laura Story says it best:

“What if our blessings come through rain drops

What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?

When darkness seems to win, the pain reminds this heart,

this world is not our home.

What if my greatest disappointments are the aching of this life,

the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.

What if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights, are your mercies in disguise?”

I share this because the separation from our loved ones is often the most difficult aspects of our lives abroad; I am hopeful you will find strength and meaning in this reflection.

A prayer for contemplation:

Our Father,

We thank you for your promises to be close and loving, even during the most challenging times of uncertainty and questioning. We pray for those we leave at home and for those of us here who share the emptiness does not go away.

In the name of Christ, Amen

The Power of Words

Just recently I was participating in a workshop at Northern Iowa University and had spoken briefly about a new concept called “The Flipped Classroom,”  which some of our teachers are using here at SFS. After my short presentation, a professor from the University came up to me and said, “John, you look so familiar, I’m sure we have known one another from another life!”

As we talked, we soon became aware that Dr. Anderson and I attended the same high school and played in the band together. “I was the one shooting beans at you through my trombone slide, when Mr. Matthews wasn’t looking!  The trombone section had an ongoing battle with the trumpets and I remember keeping you in my sights.”

Yes, we had been in band together and remember the “horsing around” we enjoyed.  We also put on our lieder hosen and played in the German Band for all our home basketball games.  How embarrassing was that!

Later on, Dr. Anderson was kind enough to invite me to accompany him to the University of Northern Iowa basketball game, since we both enjoyed watching the sport.  During the evening we reminisced about our high school days; even after 49 years, the memories were rich and entertaining, the highlight being his tale of bringing a cow up on the roof of the school as a prank!

While we enjoyed an excellent time of reflection, one story really caught my attention.  Dr. Anderson, currently an accomplished professor and author, had also served as a principal and superintendent in several school districts in Wisconsin and Iowa in the USA. Against that backdrop, his personal story was shocking.

“When I was a freshman in our high school,” he said, “I had done poorly on an English paper and went in to see my teacher, Ms. Clark (not her real name), who was new to teaching and new to the school.  I questioned the grade and asked what I had done wrong.  She responded by telling me that I was very limited in my academic ability, would never be a writer, had an inferior character and would probably never graduate from high school.”

“I was devastated by her assessment. I was certainly no academic star, but her complete dismissal of my future shattered my confidence and destroyed my self-image. I reacted poorly, giving up on my classwork, especially in her class, because I was so angry at Ms. Clark.  The only place I found success was in my music and track.”

“However, I slowly recovered from Ms. Clark’s judgment.  By the time I graduated from high school, my academic record was strong enough for a college acceptance, which eventually led me into a career as a teacher.”

“When I graduated from college, I wrote Ms. Clark a letter, letting her know how wrong she was about my character and ability.  I did the same thing when I got my Master’s Degree and my Ed.D.  Finally, I sent her a copy of my book as ‘icing on the cake.’”

As I reflected on this story and our conversation, I was reminded of the way in which our  assessments and words can impact others. As teachers, as parents, as friends, we have immense power to impact those around us for success or failure.  In Dr. Anderson’s case, Ms. Clark’s negative comments ultimately motivated him to “prove her wrong.” He has made a significant contribution to society in spite of Ms. Clark’s comments and influence.  Unfortunately, this wonderful and positive outcome is not always the case.  May we treat everyone we influence with the greatest of respect and challenge them to fulfill the dreams to which they aspire!

Faithfully Yours,

John Engstrom

 

The International Baccalaureate at Seoul Foreign School

March, 2012

 

Although the IB has been available at SFS since 1980, it has not really been selected as an option by the majority of our students until just recently.  During his tenure at SFS, Mr. Baker, our High School principal, has developed our program into one of the strongest in Asia.  I write this not only because of our scores, but primarily because of the number of our students taking the full IB (about 75% of the current Senior Class) and because of the large number of IB courses we offer.

Since we have such an international clientele (some 55 Nationalities currently among our students), we increasing have students who need a curriculum that will seamlessly transfer from one international school to another.

The statement below, from the IB, contains the essence of the IB program:

“Recognized as the leader in international education, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program fosters the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable students to excel in university.

Through the IB Diploma Program, students gain rigorous and balanced academic preparation, an ability to draw on knowledge and understanding of various cultures and histories, and the experience of learning how to think critically and apply what they have learned in different contexts and across disciplines. The IB understands that success in higher education and beyond involves thinking critically and creatively. The IB Diploma Program’s challenging curriculum educates the whole student, developing the capacity for inquiry, research and problem-solving as well as essential skills for communication and collaboration.”

But what if your children will be heading back to the US to complete High School or enter college?  Will the IB provide the kind of foundation they will need for their next steps of learning?  Please consider the following:

 

Over 2545 universities and colleges in 75 countries recognize the IB Diploma Program as superior preparation, and all Diploma program courses are viewed as Honor courses. Many of these schools provide scholarship for many of these IB students. Students routinely receive advanced placement and/or college credit for their examination results.

The number of schools that highly recognizes IB Diploma program are continuously increasing world-wide. This can be found on IBO homepage under “University Directory.”

The IB method is a powerful learning process that brings the dynamic realities of into the classroom.  Here is a summary of high school curricula as seen by various regions around the world.

High School Curricula

(recognized: ★    preferred: ★★    most advantageous: ★★★)

University   Entrance	International   Baccalaureate	Advanced   Placement	U.S. Diploma	Cambridge
U.S.	★★★	★★	★
U.K.	★★★			★★
Canada	★★★	★★	★
European Union	★★★			★
Middle East	★★	★	★	★
Asia	★★	★	★	★
Africa	★★★	★	★	★★
Latin America	★★★	★	★

 

 

 

Universities which recognize the IB with published policy statements:

 

IB Africa Europe & Middle East	300
IB Asia-Pacific	362
IB Americas	2,103
Total	2,765

 

Report from the IB conference on acceptance patterns in highly selective college and universities in North America.

 

In 2010, there were a total of 104,911 IB students in the US, applying for admissions, about 24,000 of whom were full IB Diploma graduates.  Among the largest three Universities in the US, about 20% of the freshman class had IB diplomas.

 

Many of the universities in the US give automatic scholarship awards for students holding IB diplomas,.  Some automatically waive the freshman year and have all students enter as sophomores.

 

In 2003 a survey was done which suggests the advantage students have when applying to the most selective universities in the US.  The table below shows that these highly selective universities are more likely to admit applicants who hold either certificates from IB classes or the full IB Diploma than applicants who do not hold either.

 

	% of Applicants   Admitted	% with Certificate   Admitted	% with Full IB   Diploma Admitted
Columbia	12.0	14.4	14.4
Duke	25.0	36.0	39.0
Brown	17.0	19.2	19.5
Harvard	11.0	12.5	13.1
Yale	13.0	14.3	15.1
Stanford	13.0	16.8	17.6
U. of CA	24.0	45.4	50.6

 

Finally, I have collected some significant quotes underscoring the value of the IB.  While I’m sure there are many more quotes available, these is a sampling of Admissions Directors and trusted information sources:

“One of the advantages of an IB curriculum is its structure and quality.  It’s a coordinated program, well established, well known and well respected.  We know the quality of IB courses, and we think the IB curriculum is terrific.”

Christoph Guttentag, Director of Admissions, Duke University

“IB is well known to us as excellent preparation.  Success in an IB program correlates well with success at Harvard.  We are pleased to see the credentials of the IB Diploma Program on the transcript.”

Marlyn McGrath Lewis, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Harvard University

“Students who have taken the IB [Diploma Programme] are generally better prepared for a degree than those who have taken A-levels. IB students tend to have better independent study skills, greater ability to take sensible notes, and are more able to deal with open-ended questions.”

The Independent, UK

“[IB] Schools focus on instilling character traits, including balance, refection, risk-taking, caring and keeping an open mind.”

Herald Online, USA

“88% of IB Diploma Programme graduates achieve a bachelor’s degree within six years of entering university, compared with 58% of all students”

                                      US Census, National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES),    National Student Clearinghouse

“With a grade point average of 3.11, IB graduates score 5% higher than their non-IB peers after their first year at university”

                                                                                                                                                                                         University of California

“We very much value the learning that IB students have had through their Diploma Programme. I have personally seen, over the years that I have been in charge of admissions at HKU, that they do not just have an understanding of their subject areas, but much more importantly, typically show levels of communication, thinking skills and all-around knowledge that equip them very well for tertiary education and beyond.”

Professor John A. Spinks, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

For additional sources of information, please refer to the International Baccalaureate website,  ibo.org.  We are thankful SFS began as an IB school many years ago, leading schools in Asia and throughout the world.  As the program grows, we encourage all our students to consider involvement in this world class curriculum. 

Faithfully Yours,

John Engstrom

Tone Your Brain

Scientific Advances to Enhance Your Gray Matter

I recently came across a stimulating article on intelligence in the January 9, 2012 issue of Newsweek magazine.  The author, Sharon Begley, dug into the latest research in neurobiology and cognitive science to determine how we can utilize our greatest gift- intelligence.

Recent research has provided several important ideas consolidating our knowledge of how our thinking works.  They include:

1. Our IQ can be changed over time.  A groundbreaking study published this fall Nature, IQ can be improved by 21 points or diminished by as much as 18 points.  This data was largely unexpected and has staggering implications says cognitive scientist, Cathy Price, of University College London.

1. IQ changes are linked to identifiable structural changes in the brain. The growth and addition of neurons in the left motor cortex is activated by additional reading, naming and speaking, while the non-verbal IQ through the growth of the anterior cerebellum by the refining of sensory-motor skills (learning to knit, listening to Classical music or mastering juggling).  The two brain systems seem to be vitally connected. Students are encouraged to play word games, whether they are on their iphones, computers or on paper.

1. Overall intelligence appears to depend largely on short-term memory.  Researcher Susanne Jaeggi, of the University of Michigan, found that the training of short term memory results in a great improvement in the purest form of brain power, fluid intelligence- the ability to reason and solve problems independently of existing knowledge.

“If you really want to work on memory,” writes Sharon Begley, “by, for instance, memorizing poetry- Shakespearean sonnets work- it probably improves some aspects of cognitive function.”  Psychologist Jason Chein of Temple University, has found that adults who trained on a complex working-memory task for four weeks, saw significant improvements in reading comprehension.

1. We can raise IQ through the development of “attention.”  Neuroscientists have repeatedly shown that attention or focus is the sine qua non of learning.  Scientist Price writes that if you don’t care about what you are reading, seeing or hearing, it won’t be retained.  In other words, attention is a measure of our passion towards stimulation around us.  Brain scans show that handwriting engages more sections of the brain than typing. It has also been shown that it’s easier to remember something once it has been written down.

Studies have also shown that children able to resist a marshmallow placed in front of them have higher SAT scores when tested years later. The more successful children controlled their attention by focusing on something else, like singing.

1. Aerobic exercise builds the brain as well as the body.  Scientist Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois has shown that exercise increases gray matter in the region of the hippocampus that processes new knowledge and sends it to permanent storage in the frontal cortex.

Researcher Matthew Walker at University of California at Berkeley has found that a 30 minute nap not only restores brain power, but actually raises it. Dr. Walker writes, “In people who stayed awake, there was a deterioration in their memory function, but a nap restored that capacity to levels even higher than before the nap.”

1. Learning of a second language provides the most enhanced brain function. Research has shown that when the brain in fluent in two languages, the cortical circuits that hold both languages become active.  Language learning is among the most demanding learning the brain does, but also the most effective in building IQ and overall function.

As we head into the new year at SFS, we are committed the development of our greatest gift, our brain.  Our curriculum is informed by this recent research and designed to challenge each student and to improve their intelligence to the greatest extent possible.  Each one of our students has been given much and we hope they will use this precious gift in the service of God and others.

Faithfully Yours,

John Engstrom

Head of School, Seoul Foreign School

Speaking With Our Children

Our recent trip to Ft. Myers, Florida came with an unexpected ending.  Alice and I had just finished the long trek from Seoul to Atlanta, Georgia when we boarded a plane for the final leg of our journey to Ft. Myers.

Just behind us a six or seven year old girl was sitting with her mother.  And they were chatting- about the plane ride, the party they had just enjoyed, the Christmas celebration coming up and the presents for which they were hoping.  The plane ride took about 90 minutes and there was never much of a lull in the conversation.

After landing and reaching the gate, we all stood up, grabbing our bags, getting ready to deplane.  Standing in the aisle I heard the mom’s voice behind me: “If you are upset about something, why don’t you just tell me?”

Evidently, another passenger across the aisle was upset with the constant conversation between the mom and her young daughter.  The passenger response went something like this: “I’ve been flying over 100,000 miles this year alone and have never heard such continual talking as I have had to put up with today!”  By this time, we had begun to move off the plane so I never heard any follow up to the conversation.

However, as Alice and I walked up the jet way, we both commented on the verbal exchange we had just heard- unusual and unneeded.

While walking to pick up our luggage, I reflected on the importance of adult- child conversation.   I began to remember the research that shows the many benefits of adult-child conversation: self- esteem, language development, social skills, and cognitive development, along with many others.

I recently read research which reported, “The more words your child hears, the more words they will remember,” and, “Your child’s language will benefit greatly if you listen and chat with him.  In the early childhood years, your child is likely to be keen to talk with you, his friends and family members.  Singing songs, reading, telling basic jokes and riddles are all important components of language learning.”

An interesting article in “Wikihow” highlighted the importance of a shared focus with your child.  The article suggested, “Finding time to spend with your children and a shared focus is very important if you want to help them with their speech, language and social skills.  One to one time will benefit your child in the long term.”

The article further advised, “When talking to your child, try to talk about things that are in context or about things your child can see.  Talk slowly and put emphasis on the key words.  If they are in a sentence, use lots of intonation to help emphasize meaning.”

As I reflected on the way in which the mom was talking with her child, I realized she was following many of these principles and pieces of advice- a wise mother in spite of the lady who felt disturbed.

After picking up the baggage off the belt, I piled our suitcases high upon the trolley.  Just as I began to exit baggage pick-up, I spotted the young mom sitting in the waiting area, her eyes quite red because she had been crying.  I couldn’t help but go over to her and I said, “I just want to let you know not to be concerned about that fact that you talked so much to your daughter on the flight.  You are doing exactly what you should be doing- helping her develop language, her social skills and her self-esteem.  Realizing this may all have been a bit intellectual for the situation, I just concluded the best I could- with a big hug of encouragement!

Faithfully Yours,

John Engstrom

Head of School