Schools around the world get chance to sing in global recording

An exciting global singing project has been announced. The project is called Voices around the World and the aim is for young people all over the world to learn and participate in a global recording of a song called Building Our Own Future. The song has been written by UK singer/songwriter Howard Jones.

Schools and youth choirs are being encouraged to create their own recording of the song so that it can then be included in a mass world-wide recording which will be released as a single in December.

Vocals, choir parts and backing music is all available free of charge and easily accessible to schools and groups on the Voices Around the World website page at www.wave7music.co.uk . Details of how to submit a recording, simply by uploading it to the website, are also available. The single, which will be released in December, will include the voices of hundreds if not thousands of children from schools and groups all over the world

Grazebrook Primary School in Hackney, London is one school already in rehearsal. “We love a good sing song,” says Headteacher, Michelle Thomas. “And being part of a global recording is incredibly exciting for us all. It’s a thrilling collaboration and we can’t wait to hear the mass recording knowing that we’re a part of it.”

Howard Jones explains the song: “This song is about the potential within all of us to create our own unique future, and taking on the responsibility for the happiness of ourselves and our fellow human beings.” He’s sent a message to the schools already participating in the project saying: “It is amazing to hear that you have been learning to sing Building Our Own Future in many countries around the world. I hope you are enjoying singing the song and I can’t wait to hear you all.”

The International Primary Curriculum and the British Council are two organisations already involved and are encouraging the schools around the world that they work with to participate. Organiser Laurie Lewin says “It’s a collaborative project on a global scale aimed at linking the voices of young people everywhere.”

Recordings of Building Our Own Future by schools and choirs need to be submitted by 18th July. You can listen to a version of the song and find out more information on the Voices Around the World website page at http://www.wave7music.co.uk  or at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWnnHj8OgPY

Common Myths and Misconceptions about Bilingual Children #2: Bilinguals start out school behind monolinguals and they never catch up.

As teachers working in international schools, we are most likely teaching and working with bilingual children (or even more likely multilingual children).  Many international school educators also find themselves starting a family with potentially bilingual children.  We all know colleagues that have ended up finding a partner from the host country while living there, getting married to them, and then starting a family.  None of us are truly prepared to raise a multilingual family and for sure there are many questions and concerns that we have.

What is the best way then to teach and/or raise bilingual children?  What does the research say are the truths about growing up bilingual and how bilinguals acquire both languages?

On the Multilingual Living website, they have highlighted the 12 myths and misconceptions about bilingual children.

Myth #2: Bilinguals start out school behind monolinguals and they never catch up.

Reality: In fact, bilinguals tend to have faster growth curves than monolingual children.

When a student starts to learn a new (second) language, it is true that they are behind in terms of their ability in the second language.  But because of this large gap in knowledge and vocabulary when compared to their first language, that means that they have much more to learn.  When a monolingual makes a typical gain of one grade level each year, a bilingual child will typically make a 1.5 grade-level growth in one year.

Why is it then that most people think that bilingual children are not able to catch up?  I’m not for sure what the statistics are on this, but growing up bilingual is probably not common situation in households around the world.  There are still quite a few families that are growing up monolingual and stay that way throughout their lives.  The lives of international school teacher families are definitely in the minority.

Another reason people think this way might be because the language growth result isn’t immediately apparent, for it will take awhile until the bilingual children is proficient and at the same language-ability level in their second language as their first language (a few years for example).

Not always though is one of the two languages the dominant one.  Sometimes, if the child is learning two languages at their home since birth, he/she will show a relatively equal growth pattern in both languages.  However, it is not uncommon to find that bilingual children choose one of the two languages to be more dominant (especially when the child is learning mostly in one of the two languages at their school).

It is difficult to get the right balance when thinking about providing a child with the perfect language-learning environment for both languages.

If you are a parent of a bilingual child, share what you know about finding the perfect language-learning environment for the two languages of your bilingual child.  Have you found that your child has made significant faster growth curves at school because of their proficiency levels in their two languages?

International School Community Member Spotlight #11: Sonya terBorg (Riverstone International School)

Every 1-2 months International School Community will highlight one of our members in our Member Spotlight feature.  This month we interviewed Sonya terBorg:

Tell us about your background.  Where are you from?

I was born and raised in the South Island of New Zealand.

How did you get started in the international teaching community?

A friend told me about Search Associates, I tried it out, loved it and was hooked!

Which international schools have you worked at?  Please share some aspects of the schools that made them unique and fun places in which to work.

Vientiane International School in Laos, Bonn International School in Germany, New International School Thailand (NIST), Yokohama International School in Japan and Riverstone International School in Boise, Idaho, USA.

Describe your latest cultural encounter in your current placement, one that put a smile on your face.

For the first time since leaving New Zealand, I have a car.  That also meant taking the driving test again – not only the written test, but the practical portion too!  Boise is a pretty rural place and on the testing day, we were driving around when my instructor pointed out a family of deer off to the side of the road, over the hill a bit.  I wasn’t sure if it was a trick – would she take her eyes off the road? – or if he was just excited to share the local wildlife with this crazy foreigner.  Either way, I played it safe and just nodded and “Hmmmm-ed” enthusiastically.  And passed the test!

What are some important things that you look for when you are searching for a new position at an international school?

A great leader is really important to me.  I try and find out about the school leadership so I know that I am putting myself in a position where I feel I will be challenged and encouraged to grow as a learner.  My priorities change a lot sometimes though.  When I got the job at NIST it was my first time as an  Art Specialist – I needed someone who would take a chance on an unknown.  For my current job, it was my first time ‘hunting’ for work as part of a couple so options for my husband to work were high on the list.  Now we have a third member of our family, our dog, Abby.  Somewhere dog friendly will be a definite requirement for our next move – whenever and wherever that may be!

In exactly 5 words, how would you describe the international school teaching experience?

The job of a lifetime.

Thanks Sonya! Want to know more, feel free to check out her blog:

If you are a member of International School Community and would like to be our next member spotlight, contact us here.  If we choose to highlight you, you will get a coupon code to receive 6 months free of premium access to our website!

Want to teach at an international school in the United States like Sonya?  Currently, we have 37 international schools list in United States on International School Community.  Some of our members have left comments and information on the following schools in this country:

• International School of Monterey (12 Comments)
• Atlanta International School (4 Comments)
• British School of Washington (3 Comments)
• The Dwight School (NYC) (3 Comments)
• The Newman School MA (4 Comments)
• Lycee International School of Los Angeles (2 Comments)
• German-American International School (2 Comments)
• St. Timothy’s School (4 Comments)

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