Message from the Headmaster

One day a teacher gave a test to his students. He gave them an A4 size page that carried only a black dot; he gave them as the only instruction: describe what they see. Each one wrote a paragraph about the black dot. When the results were delivered, the teacher informed them that they had all disapproved, because the 95% of their essay only touched 2% of the page. They had seen a phenomenon, but not its context.

Everything has a context and we should all see the context, the big picture, this is one of the reasons why we have chosen the Fieldwork Education curriculum. The school offers the IEYC programs for Early Years, IPC for primary and IMYC for grades 6, 7 and 8. The same ones that are excellent programs and that teach students to see the big picture in what they are studying, not just focus in the obvious, since many times the most interesting part is not in this.

Our school is the first to implement the British curriculum of Fieldwork, which articulates English education with formative work, from Early Years to pre-university level.

We celebrated the end of the second year with IPC and IEYC, and in February 2019, we had our second training aimed at ingraining the programs in the teachers. Also since last year we have implemented our 3rd Fieldwork program, the IMYC, International curriculum for teenagers from 11 to 14 years old that complements the previous ones with an active learning based on skills, and the promotion of self-reflection and the opportunity for the students to have a sense of their learning.

Thanks to this curriculum we get our students to think and process most of the information in the English language. In subjects such as Science, Humanities, History and Geography.

In Grade 5 is when our children go to our facilities in Villa site. Have studied their situation and we are doing great novelties, so that the only variation that the students experience is the change of site, and everything else is the same, but at a more demanding level, so we can receive, as it should be, our students who come from Miraflores site.

In terms of homework, we will measure Grade 5 homework with better precision in Villa, and we have increased the homework in Grade 4 so that they get used to.

Seeking to improve our work for your children, during 2018 we have surveyed students in Grades 3 and 4. This survey showed how they feel at school, how their teachers teach them from their point of view and how they see their own learning within the school. The results have been very positive. This type of actions allow us to improve, giving feedback to teachers and giving greater comfort to students.

Technology, a topic about we have listened a lot, is a beautiful tool that allows us to enjoy our lives, as long as we use it well. In our school, we are very immersed in technology, but it does not simply focus on how many computers or laboratories we have. The school already has two 3D printers, specialized software and the Arduinos and Raspberry Pi-s banks with which our students do their works. The same ones that are part of launching of the STEAM programme, an acronym that stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, since the five areas are worked on and learned.

In this program, Grade 8 and 9 children work together and do projects. Everyone must have a novel project that involves hard work. They themselves build and program the components to produce their projects. It is excellent that their works can be used, for example: for biology or for art. Our students, of Grade 5, grow up in school with these skills. STEAM also its aligned with the teaching of project management in our Entrepreneurship course in Grades 5, 6 and 7.

In Miraflores site (Early Years), we are working in programming with the Bee bot. The children program the robot to move and follow a programmed route. In this way, we prepare our children to go to Villa.

Some events. outside of others, in which we highlight are:

• CONCYTEC launched a contest in which one of our Grade 5 students won. The mother wrote to us thanking the school, because her daughter, apart from her own gifts, acquired skills and knowledge here with her teachers. She also handled the nervousness of the contest very well thanks to what she learned during her presentations here at St. George’s.
• Our school is an expanded polystyrene-free institution, better known as technopor in Peru. A contribution from our institution to save the planet and make everyone reflect on the use of these harmful substances.
• The invitation to our Grade 4 choir to sing Christmas carols in the British Ambassador Residence was a challenge for teachers, musicians and children. Everything went very well, considering that both, the preparation and the rehearsals, took place in a very short period of time. Our children made a great demonstration of their talent and self-confidence.

On the other hand, I want to let you know that, starting in 2019, we will have psychologists to deal with the inclusion issue. In addition, we will have more informative talks for parents, so they can understand better the stages their children go through as they grow up.

I must say that, although 2018 has been a beautiful year, 2019 is projected even better, for the institution and for your children.

We have an excellent team leading St. George’s

Something great in in St. George’s

Dr. Graham Gisby

Headmaster St. George’s College