The Week Ahead 9 November 2018

Dear Parents I discovered this week that the world of psychology has an unofficial new term: nomophobia. Studies in Britain have identified a growing trend among young people for a novel form of anxiety disorder – the fear of being unable to have access to a mobile phone (nomophobia is the contraction of ‘no mobile phone-phobia’). Psychology Today reported that, in the US, one in five people would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phones. Nomophobia resonated with me because we have had discussions in school around this issue, although until recently I did not realise it had become sufficiently serious to warrant its own name. Mobile phones have become so ubiquitous that they have moved from being a luxury item, owned by a few wealthy, technology-minded individuals in the 1990s to becoming a part of everyday life. Indeed, it seems that for many of us, the very thought of life without a mobile phone is fast becoming such a traumatic experience that some psychologists have labelled the dependence on mobile phones as, “possibly the biggest non-drug addiction of the 21st Century” (Shambare, Rugimbana & Zhowa, 2012). Teenagers and young adults have enough pressure on their developing minds without the addition of a virulent new source of anxiety. How can school help? The first way is to address the immediate symptom, by enforcing our mobile phone policy. Phones are permitted in school but are to be kept safely in lockers throughout the day and are not to be used, except in an emergency. In this way, messaging and gaming can be managed more effectively, and nomophobes can begin to wean themselves off their compulsion to check the time, read the news or obsess over social media. Part of our aim is also to educate children about the evils of cyberbullying and other forms of virtual abuse, helping them to understand the consequences of ill-considered posts or photographs, and this has been a particular focus this week in our work on anti-bullying. There is a more profound way that school – and parents at home – can help, though. Anxiety induced by mobile phones is not good for young people, and evidence strongly indicates a negative influence on examination results. One way to combat this bombardment of blue light, information overload and a commensurate pressure to conform to peer expectations is to turn to a far older pastime – reading. We are leading a drive on reading across the school in the coming weeks and months, with pupils and staff committed to improving the quality and quantity of our reading. Whether it is time spent alone with a book, sharing a story through role play or in discussion with members of a reading circle, the school is coming alive with stories over the remainder of the year. Reading improves concentration, aids language acquisition through vocabulary development and provides vital time away from the mental cacophony of modern living. I have been lucky enough to be the first member of staff to read a story to children in the Nest; Jack and the Beanstalk will never be the same again! More teachers and other staff will be giving their time to this reading project in the next few weeks, and as all the stories are recorded and shared online, the children can enjoy them over and over again, even at home with their families. Encouraging young people to read is one of the most important gifts a parent or teacher can bestow, but it is equally important that adults take the time to immerse themselves in books. For many of us, reading is a wonderfully solitary experience, but talking about books can stir up even deeper levels of passion for literature. 19th Century British Prime Minister William Gladstone was reputed to have read 22,000 books in his lifetime, and whilst that might be regarded as a little excessive these days, his spirit of inquiry and thirst for knowledge should be an inspiration to us all. Our FOW reading group meets regularly, giving members a chance to share their insights into the books they are reading; fluency in Mandarin and a love of reading are the only requirements for membership. For details, see below. The College library is also a rich source of reading material, and we welcome parents to come and browse the collections. The librarian can be contacted directly via email (jola.pulchna@wellingtoncollege.cn) for lending arrangements. Finally, if borrowing books (and then returning them) is too much of a wrench, then why not come to the Winter Book Fair (11-12th December, Black Box foyer)? Our usual Beijing vendor will be on hand to advise you on a huge range of books to suit all ages and interests. More information will be out soon on this annual treat for bibliophiles. I have ranged from ‘philes to ‘phobes in equal measure this week, but the core message is that 2019 will be our year of reading across the school. I would encourage all parents and friends of Wellington to help promote this most essential and enjoyable of life skills, and at the same time weaning ourselves off our emotionally unhinged attachment to the mobile phone.   Best wishes Julian Jeffrey MASTER MEET THE MASTER Duke of York Room 1400hrs-1515hrs  Thursday 22nd November This week, the Meet the Master slot is aimed at parents of pupils in Years 2 to 6. If you would like to attend, please confirm via email with Ms Emma Shi (emma.shi@wellingtoncollege.cn) by Wednesday 21st November. PARENTS’ BRIEFING: WHAT IS TALK4WRITING? Common Room 0900hrs-1015hrs Wednesday 21st November Every Wednesday morning from 0900hrs -1015hrs, parents will have the chance to engage with the school in sessions that cover all aspects of your child’s education, from the Early Years to A Levels and university admissions. The venue will vary according to the anticipated audience, and for this week’s meeting, Mr Raja Ali, the Head of Junior School, will introduce the Talk4Writing approach in English learning. Talk4Writing is a programme to promote speaking, listening and writing, and it has been used in the Junior School over the past year. Ms Kirsty Anderson from Durham University provided training on the programme at the start of the academic year. This briefing for parents will outline the approach and benefits of the Talk4Writing programme. FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL Junior School Assessment Week  19th - 23rd November Assessments have been taking place over the last few weeks, and information will be collated in readiness for the end of Michaelmas term reports.   ISCOT Robotics Day: Years 4-6 IST (International School of Tianjin)           09:00hrs-15:00hrs Wednesday 21st November         This event will now take place at IST (International School of Tianjin). We will send a team of pupils who have been working on robotics activities this term in the Junior School. The day is designed to introduce pupils to robotics in a fun and engaging way. FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL Senior School Assessment Week 19th - 26th November Assessment week in the Senior School will start on Monday 19th November. Pupils in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and Year 11 (Induction Year) will sit their exams throughout the week. Year 10 pupils will continue with exams until 26th November. Examinations for pupils in Years 7 and 8 will take place during normal lesson time. Other pupils will follow the examination schedule provided for them. ASA and Prep time will continue as usual. The purpose of the week is to provide pupils with an opportunity to display the knowledge, skills and understanding they have developed since the beginning of the academic year. All pupils have received thorough revision guides and are reminded to continue their revision during the November break. FROM THE PRE-NURSERY TEAM Autumn Walk 0900hrs-1430hrs Friday 23rd November In Eaglets and Cygnets, we would like to invite parents to join us on our Autumn walk along the river, on Friday 23rd November at 0900hrs in the morning. The purpose of this trip is to explore the environment around us and to see the different autumnal colours. We will also collect the leaves to make an autumn picture. FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL PE ISCOT Table Tennis tournament: Years 4-6 Tianjin International School (TIS) 0900hrs-1400hrs, Saturday 24th November On Saturday 24th November the Junior School PE department will take twelve students from Years 4-6 to the annual ISCOT table tennis competition, held at TIS. Mr Maliphant would like to remind parents that if their son/daughter has received a letter, this is completed and returned as soon as possible. FROM THE SIXTH FORM TEAM University Visit: The International College of Liberal Arts (Japan)  Common Room 1600hrs Thursday 15th November On Thursday 15th November at 1600hrs we will welcome Ms Yoshie Abe from The International College of Liberal Arts at Yamanashi Gakuin University (Japan). The International College of Liberal Arts at Yamanashi Gakuin University is a 4-year, residential, American-style liberal arts college, with all courses offered in English. Studies at iCLA lead to a Bachelor’s degree in International Liberal Arts. Students can choose from an array of courses in various disciplines, and, after taking one year of Foundation Courses, can decide on one of the eight concentrations iCLA currently offers: Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Language Arts (Literature, Linguistics), Philosophy and Religious Studies, Music, Arts, and Performing Arts. Picturesquely located at the foot of Mt Fuji, in the heart of what was known in medieval times as Kai Country, the YGU Sakaori campus, home to the iCLA complex (Residential Halls and classroom building), iCLA is only 90 minutes West of Tokyo, and offers students unique opportunities to immerse themselves in the very essence of Japan and its culture. If you are interested in hearing Ms Abe's presentation, then please send an email to register your interest. Parents from all year groups are welcome to attend. luyi.feng@wellingtoncollege.cn *SPECIAL NOTICE SKI HOLIDAYS Common Room  0900hrs-1000hrs Friday 16th November Wellington parent Mr Martin Bayer will be introducing a new initiative, aimed at families and friends of the school. Martin will be outlining the proposal for Wellington ski camps to run during the forthcoming Christmas and Chinese New Year holidays. The trips offer a wonderful chance for Wellington families to ski at one of China’s premier ski venues in ChongLi, north of Beijing. With expert guidance and tuition from skilled international instructors, beginners can learn in safety whilst more experienced skiers can tackle the more challenging slopes at this future Olympic resort. Accommodation is of the highest quality, and prices are very competitive for Wellington families. Trips would typically be from Sunday-Friday. To learn more about these opportunities, exclusively available to the Wellington community, please join us for a special briefing on Friday 16th November at 0900hrs. The venue is likely to be the Common Room.