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Issue 06, December 2016 MCI (P) 059/10/2016 A BI-ANNUAL PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

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Issue 06, December 2016 MCI (P) 059/10/2016

A BI-AnnuAl PuBlICAtIon of gloBAl sChools founDAtIon

At One World International School, we focus on individual student oriented methodologies that revolve around a structured curriculum with an experiential and inquiry based approach to learning. Ensuring that your child is a knowledgeable, creative and confident individual.

Your child is not a statistic

We focus on them, going beyond formulaic learning

Admissions Open

+65 6542 2285

[email protected]

One World International School | CPE Reg No: 200800495N | Period of Registration: 25 Feb 2015 to Feb 2016

We are offering

OWIS Ad for Global Learning_option 2.indd 1 11/21/2016 5:29:30 PM

01

Presidium of Patrons Dr Justice C S Dharmadhikari (Co-Founder) Prof MGK Menon Dr Karan Singh Mr N R Narayana Murthy Mr Basdeo PandayPresident Mr Chandrakant Borde (Co-Founder)Vice President Ambassador Aftab Seth Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohd Hussin bin Abdul Hamid

Advisory Board – International Sir J K Chande Dr F C Kohli Mr Arjun Malhotra Ms Shabana Azmi Mr Ashok Soota Mr Karan Singh ThakralAdvisory Board – Japan Ambassador Aftab Seth Mr Kotaro TamuraAdvisory Board – Singapore Ambassador K Kesavapany Mr Boon Yoon Chiang Ms Kirtida Mekani Advisory Board – United Arab Emirates H.E. Mr Abdullatif AlmullaAdvisory Board – Malaysia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohd Hussin bin Abdul Hamid Dato’ Sri Abdul Hamidy Abdul Hafiz Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria Dr Denison Jayasooria Advisory Board – India Mr R Sundar Lt Gen (Retd) Sudhir Sharma

Board of International Studies Mr Ralph Tabberer Mr Laurie Ince Mr Gregor Polson Prof Marmar Mukhopadhyay Prof Mukul Asher

Executive Management Mr Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder Mr Kamal Gupta, Chief Operating Officer Mr Kaustubh Bodhankar, Deputy CEO

Governing Board Mr Subodh Gore Mr Maneesh Tripathi Mr Sudan Wargantiwar

For media enquiries, please email: [email protected]

© Copyright Global Schools Foundation 2016All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, recording, broadcasting or by any other information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of Global Schools Foundation, Singapore. Any person who does any unauthorised act in this relation to this publication may be liable to criminal and or civil

prosecution for damages under the laws of Singapore and will be referred to the relevant authorities of the Singapore Courts in accordance with the Singapore Laws.

The Global Indian International School name/logo is a registered trademark of Global Schools Foundation in Singapore and other countries and used under license. Unless expressly authorised by Global Schools Foundation, use of its name and logo is strictly prohibited, and Global

Schools Foundation will take whatever legal action necessary to prevent misuse.

Global Indian International School

CPE Reg No: 200912349N | Validity: 25 Feb 2014 to 24 Feb 2019

02

INSIDER

06 About giis Our Vision, Mission, Core Values and more

08 MessAges Words of inspiration from GIIS

JouRNal

10 giis stuDeNts AtteND sADC 2016 Students network and gain political insights at South Asian Diaspora Convention

11 iNDiAN oCeAN CoNFeReNCe iNvites giis stuDeNts to pARtiCipAte Students hold meaningful discussions with Indian dignitaries

12 MARooF RAZA DisCusses DeFeNCe- RelAteD issues WitH giis stuDeNts Mr Raza visits GIIS Queenstown Campus for Leadership Lecture Series

CoVER SToRY

40 15 WAYs tHe giis eXpeRieNCe stANDs out FRoM tHe Rest Spawning a new era in education

14 giis AND gopio iN siNgApoRe Commemorating the UN International Day of Non-violence

16 FRoM suRAt to siNgApoRe AND bACK Biker Queens ride for women empowerment

CoNTENTS

p. 4015 WAYS THE GIIS EXPERIENCE STANDS OUT FROM THE REST

60,000readers

Bi-Annualmagazine

Across 7countries

20campuses

We have given Global Learningmagazine a new and refreshedlook-and-feel in a design languageintended to be more youthful.

If your company is interested inpromoting itself to our globalaudience, please contact uson the details below.

SPREAD FAR. SPREAD WIDE.

BE GLOBAL

[email protected]

www.globalindianschool.org

04

FEaTuRES

46 ARAbiAN NigHts iN Abu DHAbi Skyscrapers, desert safaris and souks in this futuristic centre

48 tHe giis JouRNeY From small beginnings to great things

50 globAl MoNtessoRi plus pRogRAMMe Teaching students compassion and conservation through iCare initiative

52 HoW giis’ iNteRNAtioNAl CuRRiCulA pRepARes stuDeNts FoR tHe CHAlleNges oF uNiveRsitY AND beYoND Through preparation comes outstanding results

54 beCAuse tHe WoRlD MAtteRs A glimpse of student-led initiatives to protect the earth and raise awareness about the environment

SPoTlIGHT

58 ACADeMiC ResultsGIIS students deliver excellent scores for IB Diploma, CBSE Class 12, IGCSE Class 10, and CBSE Class 10 examinations in 2016

VoICES

70 is tHe iNtegRAtioN oF teCHNologY iN eDuCAtioN A DistRACtioN oR AN ADvANtAge FoR stuDeNts?

CoNTENTS

Media Partner Regent Media Pte LtdPublisher Benjamin PoonSenior Writer Raewyn KohCreative Director Eric WongProject Manager Marina Chong

publisHiNg CoNsultANt

p. 54

Catch up with #TheDigitalSchoolDon’t miss out on any update

[email protected] www.globalindianschool.org

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

06

Global INDIaN INTERNaTIoNal SCHool

Global Indian International School (GIIS) – established under Global Schools Foundation’s guiding principles – is an international network of award-winning institutions, with 20 campuses in seven countries. Known for their learner-centric and skill-based teaching methodology, GIIS schools offer holistic learning and personality development opportunities for students.

GIIS schools have been honoured with 65 international and national awards over a span of eight years for achieving excellence in school education. GIIS boasts a strong multicultural environment, as children from diverse nationalities are enrolled across its campuses.

GIIS is a preferred international school offering curricula for Nursery to Class 12 education. It offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), CBSE-International and Global Montessori Plus (GMP) programme.

GIIS ABU DHABI CAMPUS, UAE

Global SCHoolS FouNDaTIoN

The Foundation was initiated with an aim of providing quality education to the expatriate community in Singapore. The Foundation has completed more than 14 exemplary years marked by international recognition for achieving excellence in school education, following high standards in governance, established academic criteria, and well-administered management processes. GSF’s mission is to cultivate and nurture its students into global leaders of the future.

About GIIS

07

CoRE ValuES

Manage with Information and MetricsAgility and AdaptabilityHonesty, Integrity and Ethical PracticesAttitude before Knowledgeteam WorkMentor, Coach and Make a DifferenceAmbience for Learning

CulTuRE STaTEMENT

giis schools – schools that learn GIIS Schools have become Safety Centered, Vision Directed, Values Driven, Student Focused, Analysis-based, Learning Enabled, Team Facilitated, Process Managed, Quality Managed and Result Oriented.

QualITY PolICY

giis strives to enhance learning through: Adherence to Quality Management System Sharing of Best Practices Actionable Feedback based on Stakeholders Satisfaction Surveys

QualITY obJECTIVES

based on giis Quality Management system, Quality policy, and vision, Mission & Core values, giis will continually strive to ensure: a. Compliance with our Quality Management System b. Learning at all Levels c. Stakeholder Satisfaction d. Adherence to our Values

VISIoN

To Become a Global Role Model for Teaching and Learning.

MISSIoN We nurture GLOBAL students into men and women who will be distinctive leaders committed to the spirit of excellence, through high-quality education imparted by globally experienced and caring teachers who build strong virtues and values while focusing on all round development, creativity and entrepreneurship.

About GIIS

08

The journey of 15 years could not have been possible without the support of our teachers, students and parents, and we thank them for this. When we started in 2002, the goal was to offer affordable high quality education to the expat community. I am proud to say that GIIS has played an instrumental role in lives of more than 25,000 students. Our alumnae are now spread across the world and are excelling in their respective fields. Global Schools Foundation has been fortunate to be guided by the eminent members of the board who have kept the interest of students their utmost priority. We believe in continuous improvement and their feedback has encouraged us to raise our benchmark regularly. With 65 awards from national and international independent awarding bodies, we strive to continue our quest for excelling in different fields of education.

Messages

Mr Atul TemurnikarChairman and Co-Founder,Global Schools Foundation

Looking back at 2002 when we started the first Indian international school in Singapore, the number of our supporters has grown exponentially. I truly believe that it’s our passion and ambition that makes GIIS a modern version of a school that produces new leaders.

“If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning,” are the words of Mahatma Gandhi. This quote captures the essence of our holistic approach to education at Global Schools Foundation. Beyond providing a sound academic platform, our aim is to teach students to be lifelong learners and prepare them to be able to deal with future challenges.

Ambassador Aftab SethVice President,Global Schools Foundation

I look forward to 2017, the year that marks our 15th anniversary. I am happy with the achievements we have made so far and the manner in which we have reached our objectives. We have adopted a pragmatic approach in combining high ethical standards with a firm belief in the power of our values. This has enable us to continue to make a real difference in the lives and aspirations of our students.

Stepping into the 15th year of our existence is a significant milestone. It is particularly gratifying to be celebrating this anniversary, as the future of GIIS looks bright. The relevance of holistic education continues to grow and GIIS is at the forefront of using innovative tools to deliver our award-winning 9 Gems™ framework.

Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohd Hussin bin Abdul Hamid Vice President,Global Schools Foundation Mr Kaustubh Bodhankar

Deputy Chief Executive Officer,Global Schools Foundation

We recognise that our students form the core of the school’s activity and achievements but without the combined dedication and commitment of their parents, teachers and staff, our substantial growth in the last 15 years would not have been possible. I would like to express my appreciation for the sustained support and contribution to the shared sense of pride that we all have in GIIS’ continued success.

The institution has created an environment and ambience that fosters learning and provides each student with unique opportunities to explore and grow. We take efforts to develop leadership qualities among all our students who understand the value of being respectful global citizens. The next milestone will include adopting new technologies, and innovative methods of teaching, among other achievements to bestow our students with an amazing school life experience.

Dr Justice C S DharmadhikariCo-Founder and Patron, Global Schools Foundation

Mr Chandrakant BordePresident and Co-Founder,Global Schools Foundation

Mr Kamal GuptaChief Operating Officer, Global Schools Foundation

09

“THE FuTuRE DEPENDS oN

wHaT wE Do IN THE PRESENT”

– Mahatma Gandhi

JOURNAL

For the third consecutive year, students from GIIS Queenstown and East Coast campuses were given the incredible opportunity of attending the South Asian Diaspora Convention (SADC), which was held on 18 and 19 July 2016 at the Raffles City Convention and Exhibition Centre. Gracing this year’s event was Guest of Honour, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe. Over the two days of intense discussions, debates and networking, students were exposed to the actuality of regional politics.

Students were also given the opportunity to network with political office holders and policy makers, such as Mr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore; and Mr Sachin Pilot, Member of Indian National Congress and Former Minister of Corporate Affairs, India. They also interacted with other students studying International Business and Relations at Singapore polytechnics. GIIS students also met with Mr Shahid Javed Burki, Former Vice President of the World Bank, briefly and managed to engage in an interesting debate about the possibility of ‘One South Asia’, and how other regional conflicts, such as the ongoing South China Sea disputes, would alter these plans. The

students also got into an insightful discussion with Mr Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about the relevance of non-economic and economic factors that influence the growth of a nation.

Students witnessed panel discussions on topics like ‘education and skill development’ within Southeast Asia to more encompassing issues, such as ‘the geopolitics in South Asia’, all of which were moderated by incredible personalities, such as Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, President of National University of Singapore, and Mr James Crabtree, Contributing Editor at Financial Times. The debates were not only fruitfully engaging but also brought attention to some very happening regional problems.

The students were also encouraged to participate in the intellectual panel discussions during the engaging Q&A sessions. This gave them a rare platform to have their own pressing questions answered by professionals in the field. Apart from just networking with internationally renowned businessmen, the students also acquired knowledge on how to shape their success of today.

GIIS STuDENTS aTTEND South ASiAn DiASporA Convention 2016

Students gained insight into real world issues during SADC 2016

Journal

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Journal

The Indian Ocean Conference 2016 (IOC 2016) was arranged and hosted by the New Delhi-based India Foundation at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore on 1 and 2 September 2016. The event was conducted in association with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies and the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka were also listed as associates.

The event was the beneficiary of significant Indian Government support and clearly reflected official strategic intent. The Indian Minister of External Affairs, Mr Sushma Swaraj addressed the Conference over live video feed, and Mr Nitin Gadkari, Indian Minister of Roads, Transport and Highways and Dr S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary made separate speeches during the opening session.

The welcome address was given by Mr MJ Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs, and was attended by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore; Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka; Dato Seri Dr Ahmed Zahid Bin Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia along with other dignitaries.

Students from GIIS Queenstown and East Coast campuses attended the conference on 2 September. They witnessed the valedictory address from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of Art of Living Foundation, which served to accentuate the peaceful and spiritual connections and intent between India and its

eastern neighbours. The students also had the opportunity to interact with delegates and dignitaries like Mr Shashi Tharoor, Indian politician and former diplomat currently serving as Member of Parliament in India; Mr Ranjan Mathai, former Indian Foreign Secretary and Indian High Commissioner to the UK; and Ms Jaya Jaitly, Founder, India-based Bastkari Haat Samiti, among others.

The students had meaningful discussions with the dignitaries. IB Year 1 student, Nandin Porwal

from GIIS Queenstown Campus got to interact with Mr Mathai and speak with him on the situation of Indians in Syria, as well as the effects of India’s trade relationship with China after the Nuclear Suppliers Group

(NSG) conflict. “He informed us that it is widely acknowledged that Pakistan has broken the

rules but assured us that trade relations between India and China have yet to be directly affected as an

outcome,” said Nandin.

The students also interacted with Ms Jaitly and discussed an issue about international brands making huge profits by using stolen designs and products of local crafters and small business owners. “We learnt that there aren’t any laws to protect such small businesses and it is harder to fight larger corporations because of increasing corruption within the law. NGOs have to take initiatives to protect the rights of these makers and to preserve the cultures from which these designs were stolen from,” said Krati Jain, IB Year 1 student.

INDIaN oCEaN CoNFERENCE 2016 inviteS GiiS StuDentS to pArtiCipAte

Mr Ranjan Mathai, former Indian Foreign Secretary & Indian High Commissioner to the UK shared his wise thoughts with GIIS students

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Mr Maroof Raza, a former Indian Army officer, who is a consultant and strategic affairs expert in India, visited GIIS Queenstown Campus on 4 September 2016. Mr Raza is the suave and astute anchor of the weekend world affairs show, ‘Latitude’ that airs on one of India’s leading news channels on television. He has also authored several books and presented a 20-part series on the Indian armed forces titled, ‘Line of Duty’. An episode from the series on the Siachen Glacier won an award in the military documentary section at the Film Festival in Rome in 2005.

Mr Raza was in GIIS Queenstown Campus as part of the GIIS Leadership Lecture Series, where students have the opportunity to interact with him and probe him on various issues related to defence and corresponding strategies around the world.

During his interaction with students, he enlightened them about India’s security concerns and the country’s role as peace ambassadors. He educated them about India’s history of wars and conflicts too. Mr Raza also addressed issues on situations involving India’s Northeast territories and Kashmir. On the Kashmir conflict, Mr Raza poignantly told the students, “A problem cannot be addressed if you don’t know the cause.” He encouraged students to delve deeper into the

issue and research not just through the internet but by reading relevant books as well.

Mr Raza’s address was followed by a Q&A session. Hima Sai, IB Year 1 student asked on India’s claim of a permanent seat in the security council of the United Nations, which has been heavily criticised by foreign dignitaries. Hima had wanted Mr Raza to address this, as well as the challenges India is facing to secure such a seat in the council. Mr Raza gave an honest reply and told the students that he thought that the UN Security Council was a fuss. “Instead of applying for a seat, India should remove itself from the UN Security Council,” he said.

Another student, Aishwarya Gayatri of Class 9, GIIS Queenstown Campus, asked Mr Raza about the army and media – two distinct but significant institutions of a democracy. As Mr Raza has served in the army and is now a prominent figure in the media industry, Aishwarya wanted to know what relationship the media and the army should have. To this, Mr Raza lauded the Indian Army for being able to maintain secrecy of its training. “People approach the media when they want to disseminate information. As far as a relationship between these two institutions is concerned, the media should be responsible in reporting defence related affairs for the safety of our citizens and not be concerned with competing with other channels,” he explained.

MaRooF RaZa DISCuSSESDeFenCe-relAteD iSSueS

With StuDentS

Journal

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“A problem cannot be addressed if you don’t know the cause.” - Maroof Raza to students at GIIS Leadership Lecture Series

Maroof Raza sharing his views honestly and candidly with GIIS students

Journal

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The Global Indian International School (GIIS), High Commission of India in Singapore, and Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) celebrated the UN International Day of Nonviolence and witnessed the inauguration of Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 October 2016 in Singapore.

PM Modi’s inauguration of the new Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra was broadcast ‘live’ on a big screen through the web at GIIS Queenstown Campus in Singapore to a large gathering of NRIs. The centre, dedicated to the welfare of the Indian Diaspora, is a state-of-the-art building that includes a library, conference room, museum and other facilities. The centre is expected to become a hub that promotes mutually rewarding economic, social and cultural ties between India and its diaspora.

The ‘live’ broadcast and commemoration of Gandhi’s birth anniversary observed participation from the Abdul Kalam Vision Society, Singapore; Assam Association of Singapore; Global Citizen Forum; Indian Association Singapore; Vivekananda Sangh Singapore; along with students and staff of GIIS.

Joining the ceremony were a number of dignitaries including, Ms Paramita, Acting High Commissioner of India to Singapore; Professor Subrata K Mitra, Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies; Mr Lee Kwang Boon, Vice President of the

United Nations Association of Singapore; Mr Ravi Kumar, Joint Co-ordinator at Seva International and Mr Ameerali Jumabhoy, Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Committee at GOPIO.

At the opening function, Mr Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Global Schools Foundation, spoke on how Gandhi and his follower, Justice Dharmadhikari, had influenced modern day teachings at GIIS. “As a school, we are committed in spreading the message of nonviolence across the globe and promoting it through various educational programmes. Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and values are inscribed in our hearts and reflected in our actions,” said Mr Temurnikar.

Ms Tripathi, Acting High Commissioner of India to Singapore, lauded Gandhi’s teachings and reminded the audience about

their value in a modern day context. “Gandhi’s philosophy is engendered in two basic principles of truth and nonviolence. These two values are becoming more significant in today’s world where incidents of violence, aggression and conflict are on the rise,” she said.

There was also an address from Mr Lee Kwang Boon, who read out United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s message for the International Day of Nonviolence 2016. Mr Ravi Kumar also spoke during the event and pointed out the inherent

GIIS aND GoPIo IN SINGaPoRE CoMMEMoRaTE un internAtionAl DAy oF non-violenCe

“Gandhi’s philosophy is engendered in two basic principles of truth and nonviolence. These two values are becoming more significant in today’s world where incidents of violence, aggression and conflict are on the rise.” - Ms Tripathi, Acting High Commissioner of India to Singapore

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TOPEsteemed guests paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

BOTTOM left Students sang the Sarva Dharma prayer

BOTTOM rightMr Lee and other dignitaries addressed students’ queries

positivity of Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence by comparing it to the path of violence and its strong associations with negativity. “Violence brings hatred and anger, whereas nonviolence brings love and compassion,” he reminded the audience. The last speaker of the day, Mr Ameerali Jumabhoy, highlighted Gandhi’s way of life and his quest to seek independence for India in his speech. He furthered shared on how Singapore and other countries around the region were able to draw inspiration from the Indian independence movement.

GIIS students were then able to approach the panellists to ask questions, who enlightened them about nonviolence and its relevance today. With a dedicated centre for imparting the teachings and philosophies of Gandhi through the Global Indian Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Universal Values (MGCUV), GIIS was honoured to be the host for the International Day of Nonviolence.

Violence brings hatred and anger, whereas nonviolence brings love and compassion

- Mr Ravi Kumar, Joint Co-ordinator at Seva International

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There was grace, elegance and courage in their stride. Their eyes sported a victorious glint that only comes to winners. And without a doubt, these four women were winners. The Biker Queens have made history by riding across 10 Southeast Asian countries on their KTM Duke 390 bikes and travelling more than 10,000 kilometres in 40 days. Dr Sarika Mehta, Dr Yugma Desai, Durriya Tapia, and Khytati Desai had set out on a journey from Surat to Singapore to give wings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s abhiyaan – ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’.

The Biker Queens made a stop at GIIS Surat Campus on 27 July after they accomplished their journey astride their bikes. Earlier in the month on 11 July, students at GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus in Malaysia were also able to welcome the Biker Queens. Students had the opportunity to interact with these courageous ladies as they heard Dr Mehta speak to them about the cause of their journey,

as well as hardships and other anecdotes faced by them during their ride.

The Biker Queens’ 40-day ride brought them across India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. The students were enthralled by their tales of travel and were able to ask many questions pertaining to their strong cause. The Biker Queens made their final stop in Singapore before they flew back to Surat, India.

During their visit to Singapore, students at GIIS East Coast Campus welcomed the Biker Queens and had the chance to connect with them. Over at GIIS Queenstown Campus, all four of the Biker Queens gave a lecture as a part of the GIIS Leadership Lecture Series held on 15 July 2016. The lecture saw the Biker Queens address the students with their cause and they also managed to answer questions on what motivated them to accomplish such a journey.

FRoM SuRaT, MalaYSIa To SINGaPoRE aND baCk: Biker QueenS riDe For Women empoWerment

Biker Queens interacting with students at GIIS Queenstown Campus

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FRoM SuRaT, MalaYSIa To SINGaPoRE aND baCk: Biker QueenS riDe For Women empoWerment

TOPBiker Queens receiving a warm welcome at GIIS East Coast Campus

MIDDLE Taking a commemorative photo with students at GIIS Queenstown Campus

BOTTOM left & rightBiker Queens with GIIS Surat Campus students after accomplishing their journey

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The Mail Today Education Conclave 2016 of India Today Group was the meeting ground for some of the finest minds in the education sector. GIIS participated in the summit of government ministers, chairpersons and renowned educators to discuss and identify the key growth factors in the education industry.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Rao Inderjit Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) of Niti Ayog, spoke of Haryana becoming the future education hub and the various initiatives of the government towards achieving the same. This was followed by a series of panel discussions on transformation of education at the national level. The topics ranged from school learning to higher education, blended curricular, the role of technology, innovation, and skill development.

Mr Kamal Gupta, COO of Global Schools Foundation, then spoke on textual and contextual learning. According to him, schools should become centres for innovation and incubators of ideas to achieve comprehensive child development, so that

students can push their boundaries and become entrepreneurial in their approach to problems and various situations. Mr Gupta referred to the 9 Gems holistic learning framework followed at GIIS that provides all students with an edge and a visible outcome of the same.

There were also other speeches by speakers who touched on looking beyond the classroom, such as including vocational skills as a part of regular schooling, so as to bridge the gap between unskilled youth and industry requirements. There was also a sharing of the new education policy that is focused towards looking into the future, as well as the importance of quality in education in terms of resources and reach.

Promoting inquisitiveness in students so that they have the power to innovate and create a more sustainable country needs both of collective efforts of the state and education institutions. The session was definitely an enriching one for all those in attendance.

THouGHT lEaDERS oF EDuCaTIoN INDuSTRY PlaN NExT bIG STEP

At mAil toDAy eDuCAtion ConClAve 2016

Journal

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An assembly themed, ‘Save Tigers’, was part of an INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) initiative aimed at spreading awareness among the young students about the declining numbers of the endangered tiger species. It also taught the students that poaching animals is a crime.

The assembly saw students of classes 1 to 3 gathered at GIIS Ahmedabad Campus to see their classmates perform a startling enactment on saving tigers, the national animal of India, as well as sing an English song. The performers had dressed up in adorable tiger costumes, and dressed as English hunters and protestors for the skit as well. The well-written performance showed the two hunters shooting down a tiger to its death. A group of protestors then moaned about the death of the big cat before the hunters realised that their crime of poaching had led to the extinction of tigers. The performance ended with the students singing ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry.

INTACH is a non-profit organisation that works for the restoration of historic monuments, public awareness through heritage walks and bus rides, the establishment of heritage clubs in schools, and holding of awareness workshops for teachers. It also works to save the environment, its natural reserves, and to protect endangered animals.

INTaCH ‘SaVE TIGERS’ initiAtiveS By StuDentS

As part of the GIIS Leadership Lecture Series, Cricketer Parthiv Patel visited GIIS Ahmedabad Campus, as well as to launch the school’s cricket field, and celebrate India’s 70th Independence Day with the students and faculty.

Mr Patel is a national cricket luminary who has done India proud with his cricketing prowess, and has played for teams like Rajasthan Cricket Association Presidents XI, Royal Challengers Bangalore and more.

During his visit, he inspired the GIIS cricket team by sharing anecdotes from his life and his early days as a budding cricketer. “Cricket calls for self-discipline and perseverance; you must try had and play fair,” he said to the team encouragingly. He also advised the awestruck students that just like in sports, life also demands focus, discipline and determination to succeed, as these are the basic qualities of an efficient and respectable leader.

After the inspiring lecture, the star cricketer got to demonstrate his cricket skills and share tips about the game with the team. His smooth and quick bats earned the loud cheers of the audience thronging the boundaries of the new cricket field.

CRICkETER PaRTHIV PaTEl PlaYS DiFFerent StrokeS For GiiS StuDentS

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As part of the GIIS Leadership Lecture Series, GIIS Noida Campus invited Dr Laxmi Gautam to be the key speaker for a session on empowering women on 24 September 2016.

Dr Gautam works for the welfare of women and widows. She has won several accolades for her work, including the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2015, which was presented to her by President Pranab Mukherjee, and the Women Transforming India Award, a combined initiative of the Indian Government’s NITI Ayog and the United Nations for women ‘who make a difference’. In 2011, she also founded Kanak Dhara, an NGO that works for the cause of widows in Vrindavan.

Dr Gautam’s presence at the lecture was to spread awareness on women empowerment, as she addressed the core issues of gender discrimination.

Dr Gautam spoke at length about the issues women have been facing in our country for decades. She

emphasised the significance of ‘equal upbringing’ of girls and boys at home, and also discussed how parents and teachers can sensitise boys to respect girls and treat them as their equals, which will help in shaping the future of India’s society by offering a safe, just and dignified environment to every gender.

Further along in the lecture, Dr Gautam encouraged the audience to take up the responsibility of nurturing young girls so that she can become self-empowered, self-motivated, self-reliant and independent.

Art and literature form the very base of any culture. India has a rich repository of classical music comprising instrumental, vocal and dance forms. As an ongoing endeavour to educate students on the revered classical dance forms, it is an annual feature at GIIS Noida Campus to host cultural programmes in collaboration with SPIC MACAY, a cultural organisation that promotes Indian cultural heritage and art to youths of the country.

The initiation of such events has definitely brought first hand experience of the diverse and colourful Indian heritage, as many well-known artists from all over the world have come to share their experiences and expertise with students all over India.

oDISSI PERFoRMaNCE AiDeD By SpiC mACAy

SoCIal aCTIVIST DR laxMI GauTaM DiSCuSSeS Women empoWerment With GiiS StuDentS

Journal

Young girls can become self-empowered, self-motivated, self-reliant and independent

This year, to mark the beginning of the 2016-17 Academic Year, GIIS Noida Campus and SPIC MACAY organised a performance with Ms Sharon Lowen, an exponent of Odissi. Ms Lowen introduced the various steps and facts related to Odissi dance.

Ms Lowen performed a number of mesmerising pieces, such as the ‘Mangla Charan’, and an episode from ‘Krishna and Radha’ that depicted Radha gathering flowers for prayer. She concluded the performance by inviting the students and teachers to learn a few basic steps, as well as engage in a Q&A session with the students.

The performing arts are an important aspect of personality development at GIIS. Through such programmes, students are provided with a platform to observe, participate and showcase various art forms. The Odissi recital by Ms Lowen and her troupe was an exclusive peek for students into India’s rich culture and heritage.

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To enlighten the teachers of GIIS on the benefits and simplicity of using Vedic Mathematics in

teaching, renowned author, Mr James Glover, along with Ms Sunita Jaisingh, National Head of Academics, conducted an interactive e-session on Vedic

Mathematics basics. The session was hosted by GIIS Noida Campus and saw

participation from teachers from GIIS campuses in Noida, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bengaluru, Chinchwad and Tokyo.

Mr Glover is a teacher of Vedic Mathematics and is also the chairman of a UK-based charity institute for the Advancement of Vedic Mathematics that provides online and in-person training all over the world. Mr Glover has been teaching for more than 32 years and has published several books on Vedic Mathematics for teaching in school.

During his interactive session, Mr Glover shared on the importance, usefulness and efficiency of Vedic Mathematics in teaching children of pre-primary and primary levels. He also showed that there are various ways a problem can be solved and emphasised that each student will develop his/her own

method of solving once the basics of Vedic Mathematics have been thought.

After discussing examples and guiding teachers on tips and techniques, Mr Glover also discussed how Vedic Mathematics has the ability of sculpting children’s minds in uncountable ways. Speed, flexibility, decision-making capabilities, pattern recognition and a lot more can be achieved if students start following the principles of Vedic Mathematics carefully.

a SESSIoN oN VEDIC MaTHEMaTICS By mr JAmeS Glover

GIIS strongly follows the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi through the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Universal Values (MGCUV). Students at GIIS Ahmedabad Campus observed Peace Day on 21 September 2016 by remembering the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cities where atomic bombs were dropped during World War II.

Class 5 students deeply impacted students and teachers with their skit on 11-year-old Japanese girl, Sadako Sasaki, who died of leukaemia caused by the radiation from the atomic attack. Sadako is well known around the world as the girl who folded 1,000 paper origami cranes in an attempt to have her wish of simply living granted. She has since become a symbol of the impact of nuclear war and is considered a heroine for many who champion for universal peace. The students also came together to sing ‘Aman ke liye…’, as well as present paper cranes to the school’s housekeeping staff.

In a gesture to spread peace and equality, the students also visited Little Angels School for underprivileged students to spend the day with them. GIIS students presented each child with a paper crane and also taught the children origami, painting and dancing. The warmth, love and attention the students gave these children showed that even the smallest gesture of goodwill could bring a smile on someone’s face!

The day was an important reminder that ‘an eye for an eye makes the world blind’.

MGCuV PEaCE DaY REINSTaTES neeD For univerSAl BrotherhooD

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Journal

GIIS recognised the hard work and contributions of its stakeholders at the Global School Awards 2016 on 17 September 2016. Held for the first time at the impressive Star Vista theatre in Singapore, the annual event brought together students, parents, and staff for an afternoon of celebration and recognition.

This year’s ceremony also marked the beginning of the 15th year of GIIS’ establishment since its inauguration on 18 September 2002 at the original Mount Sophia campus in Singapore. To mark the special occasion, GIIS honoured patrons who have been with the school since its early years, as well as students and staff who have demonstrated excellence in their domains.

The event started with a video highlighting the journey of GIIS from its humble beginnings to its expansion and plans for the future. Mr Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Schools Foundation then further elaborated on this vision in his opening address as he spoke about various educational milestones and developmental initiatives.

“In 2017, we will step into the next phase in the school’s growth. We intend to strengthen our students with a world class infrastructure,” said Mr Temurnikar. He also mentioned plans to implement the use of technology in the classrooms and encourage new methods of teaching to enhance students’ learning outcomes.

CElEbRaTING ‘GIIS @ 15’ wITH aCHIEVERS DurinG GloBAl SChool AWArDS 2016

“In 2017, we will step into the next phase in the school’s growth. With new campuses, we intend to strengthen our students with a world class infrastructure.” - Mr Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Schools Foundation

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Journal

Guest of honour, Mr Krishna Ramachandra, Managing Director of Duane Morrie & Selvam LLP then congratulated GIIS on its success and praised the school’s excellent educational processes and visionary teaching strategies. “Commitment, opportunity, respect, and education are invaluable in this day and age, as they are key components for the holistic development of students, “ said Mr Ramachandra.

Joining the other dignitaries on stage were Mr Manoj Tiwari, renowned Bhojpuri actor and Minister of Parliament in Northeast Delhi; and Mr Akash Mehta, Senior Partner at Samena Capital. They both helped to give out the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam GIIS Award for Academic Proficiency, Dr L M Singhvi GIIS Ambassador Award, Mahatma Gandhi GIIS Extra Mile Award, GIIS Star Award, GIIS Long Service Award and many others as well.

The ceremony then ended with vibrant performances from the students from all three campuses in Singapore.

GIIS in Singapore received the prestigious Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award (AREA) 2016 under the ‘Investment in People’ category at a gala event held on 24 June 2016 at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.

Mr Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder, Global Schools Foundation, was there to receive the award from Prof Datuk Seri Dr Victor Vee, Former Chairman of Tourism Malaysia and Advisor to Enterprise Asia, and Dato’ William Ng, President of Enterprise Asia. Mr Temurnikar was accompanied by Mr B G Shenoy, Director, GCEE; Ms Madhu Khanna, Principal of GIIS Queenstown Campus; Mr C V K Sastry, Vice Principal of GIIS East Coast Campus; Ms Savinder Rooprai, Vice Principal of GIIS Balestier Campus; and members of the management team at GIIS.

“Winning this award is not just a recognition of our efforts but also a challenge for us to further our advocacy in recognising talents and helping them grow in the organisation as well,” said Mr Temurnikar.

The AREA Award recognises companies’ leadership, sincerity and ongoing commitment in providing apt training and a conducive environment for individuals to grow in their organisation.

aSIa RESPoNSIblE ENTREPRENEuRSHIP

AWArD 2016

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GIIS was awarded the prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2016 for Innovation Management by the Institute of Directors (IOD) India. The awards were a part of the annual 16th London Global Convention on Corporate Governance & Sustainability held from 17 to 20 October 2016 and organised by IOD India.

The award was presented to Mr Atul Temurnikar, Chairman and Co-Founder, Global Schools Foundation. Other executive members present from GIIS included Mr Rohit Ambekar, Director of Business and Strategy; Mr B G Shenoy, Director, GCEE; and Ms Madhu Khanna, Principal of GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr Temurnikar said, “GIIS has implemented more than 200 innovations in the past two years, of which 85 have been recognised by various award bodies. Innovation is a daily practice that contributes positively to learning outcomes.”

As an educational institute with a strong focus on innovation, this is indeed a proud moment for GIIS. The Multiple Mechanisms for Institutionalising Innovation (M2I2) is its unique

differentiator that helps the school make innovation a daily practice at GIIS. M2I2 involves cross-functional teams of leaders, staff, faculty, students, and parents for generating, communicating and implementing new ideas.

GIIS is proud to have shared the winning space with organisations like IBM Corporation (USA), Doha Bank (Qatar, UAE), and Levi Strauss & Co. (USA), among others.

GolDEN PEaCoCk awaRD At 16th lonDon GloBAl Convention

In the two-day 7th World Education Summit (WES) organised in Delhi, GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus was recognised at the award ceremony for Global Collaborative Learning Initiative. Mr HS Khalsa, Principal of GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus; and Mr Manoj Nair, Country Director – GIIS (Malaysia), received a trophy and certificate at the ceremony.

The WES Awards provide annual recognition to outstanding contributions in the education consortium community. These awards recognise distinctive, technological innovations, notable courses, and exemplary leaders in education worldwide. It recognises the contributions of educators who have published a paper on an idea that is used for student learning over a sustained period.

GIIS kuala luMPuR CaMPuS honoureD With WeS AWArDS

Journal

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The 9 Gems framework has added to the development of Viyashenn’s character and personality. The positive approach by teachers in encouraging students to participate in school events has generated a lot of excitement and expectation for upcoming activities in school. The creative approach has kindled his curiosity in learning. We have a similar approach at home. Learning ought to take place in interesting ways and we encourage this curiosity and interest, both in and out of school activities. We enjoy playing board games, taking jungle walks and spending lots of time chatting together in this aspect.

- Ms Veni Samy and Mr Jayasuria, Parents of Viyashenn (Class 2)

PaRENTS’ TakE oN 9 GEMS

Parents from GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus share their experience of implementing 9 Gems at home.

CElEbRaTING 10 YEaRS oF ExCEllENCE

The Secondary Annual Day was held on 22 July 2016 to celebrate 10 years of excellence at GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus. The theme for the day was ‘Celebration’ and saw the secondary students set the stage ablaze with their power packed performances of music, dance and elaborate costumes.

PHoNICS woRkSHoP FoR PaRENTS

A phonics workshop was organised for parents of Kindergarten students on 25 June 2016. The session was planned in an effort to cultivate a three-way beneficial partnership between teacher, parent and child. GIIS firmly believes that parents play an important role in shaping a child’s education path.

The fun and interactive session had parents ‘go back to school’ to learn about the phonics system. They were guided through the alphabet and learnt the correct phonetic sounds associated with each letter. Activities were also planned to reinforce what had been taught. At the end of the session, the parents were guided through the Kindergarten syllabus so that they can have to better understanding about their role in this educational partnership with their children and their teachers.

Malaysia

We encourage our son to be creative by giving him projects to complete at home and creating activities to encourage creativity and innovation. We also encourage him to come up with tasks that he can engage in and earn money so as to develop his entrepreneurial skills. The 9 Gems tools have helped him develop his personality, although we have not been able to implement 100% of these tools at home.

- Mr Karamjit Singh, Father of Banerjeet Daik Singh (Class 5)

The initiatives taken towards the 9 Gems are good. They have helped Pritika develop vital personality characteristics. She has more self-confidence, and her manners and etiquette have improved. She also takes initiative and has acquired the values of sharing. We give a lot of importance to family values, especially in respecting elders. She has been taking up more leadership roles in the family, such as by helping to prepare the grocery shopping list. We hope the school can encourage more sports and extra-curricular activities in the 9 Gems.

- Ms Renuka Kamalanathan, Mother of Pritika Vijayanatharan (Class 6)

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GIIS STuDENT wINS ‘THE YouNG MaYoR’ awaRD IN aCTIVISTaR CoMPETITIoN

Visshal Natarajan from Class 9 at GIIS Queenstown Campus won ‘The Young Mayor’ award in the junior category at the Activistar Competition. There were five other students from GIIS that also participated in the competition. The innovative competition saw students being guided through processes of what makes a town liveable and what challenges a town faces during urban planning. This year, the competition was based around planning a better township for Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. The GIIS team, ‘Walikotas of Jakarta’ (Mayors of Jakarta), managed to progress through the competition and three students were selected for a final presentation. First and second runners up were presented to Urban Planners 2016 and Walikotas of Jakarta, both from GIIS Queenstown Campus.

bRINGING HoPE To HuMaNITY

GIIS students have long been participating in the annual Hair for Hope, a charity event that encourages people to shave off their hair in order to raise funds to support children affected by cancer. This year, Aashay Chouhan from Class 12 of GIIS Queenstown Campus started an initiative to enrol as many students as possible for this noble cause.

MoHaNDaS PaI INSPIRES wITH woRDS oF wISDoM

Chairman of the Manipal Global Education Services, Mr Mohandas Pai, visited GIIS Queenstown Campus on 20 July 2016 for the GIIS Leadership Lecture Series. Mr Pai engaged the audience with his speech that elaborated on the advancement of mankind over the

Aashay spent valuable time campaigning across all three GIIS campuses in Singapore for the cause and received overwhelming support. On 31 July 2016, 33 students from the school participated in the Hair for Hope main event. The participants were aged seven to 17 and included six girls. Together, the group managed to raise S$3,898.50 for the Children’s Cancer Foundation in Singapore. The act of shaving their heads for the cause is a symbolic gesture that shows children ill with cancer and their families that they are not fighting this disease alone.

Walikotas of Jakarta

Urban Planners 2016

Singapore

past 200 years. His lecture was followed by a lively panel discussion with students from Class 12. Many interesting questions were asked and Mr Pai replied with practical and thought-provoking answers. It was meaningful hearing these words from Mr Pai, a person who has contributed significantly to the areas of education, finance, and information technology.

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hand-woven fabric. In 1918, Gandhi started a movement for Khadi as a relief programme for the poor masses living in India’s villages. The intricate models reflected the in-depth research students had put in to show how Khadi has changed, developed and been commercialised over time. From more than 1,000 models, teachers finalised 96 models from Queenstown campus, 21 from Balestier campus and 30 from East Coast campus for exhibition.

Besides the model making competition, the Humanities department conducted an inter-campus ‘Street Play’ competition based on one theme. The teams from the different campuses depicted the struggles Indians went through on their path to freedom in an educational manner that was interesting and informative for all students. A panel of judges awarded GIIS Queenstown Campus with first prize for the ‘Street Play’ competition.

CoMMEMoRaTING GaNDHI oN INTERNaTIoNal DaY oF NoN-VIolENCE

As pioneers of peace education, GIIS Queenstown Campus commemorated Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on the International Day of Nonviolence by organising a Social Science Exhibition

CHESS TouRNaMENT wITNESSES PaRTICIPaTIoN FRoM 16 SCHoolS

GIIS East Coast Campus hosted the second edition of the GIIS Open Chess Tournament on 22 October 2016 for U-7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and U-16 boys and girls. This year’s competition was fiercer than before with 121 students from 16 schools competing, as compared to only 11 schools from the year before.

The participating schools were: GIIS East Coast Campus, GIIS Queenstown Campus, GIIS Balestier Campus, NPS International School, Singapore American School, Canadian International School, United World College Dover, United World

The champion for each category is as follows:

under 16: Vaishnav M, NPS International School

under 14: Austin Isaac, GIIS East Coast Campus

under 12: Idhikash J, GIIS Balestier Campus

under 10: Shravann Suryaa VP, Roslin Primary School

under 9: Shubh Anuj Jain, GIIS Balestier Campus

under 8: Pritish Burman Ray, NPS International School

under 7: Vedant Virkar, GIIS Balestier Campus

cum Street Play Competition for GIIS students from all three GIIS campuses in Singapore on 6 October 2016.

Students from classes 4 to 10 participated in a model making exhibition based on the theme of ‘Knowing your roots from the treasury of the past – Khadi through the years’. Khadi is hand spun and

Singapore

College East, Stamford American School, Tanglin Trust School, St Joseph International School, Temasek Junior College, PCF Sparkle Tots, Roslin Primary School, Loyang Secondary School and Queenstown Primary School.

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boNDING TIES aT FaMIlY DaY 2016

Family Day 2016 – Innovation & Enterprise Day was celebrated on 14 October 2016 at GIIS East Coast Campus. The event was organised to provide a platform for bonding activities between parent and child to think, create and inspire. There were several competitions organised across the levels to strengthen familial bonds. The day began with students from classes 1 to 10 engaging in a mass activity in their classrooms. Then parents and children competed in ‘Brain Axe’ and ‘Are you smarter than a GIISian?’ – games that tested their intellect. There were also many other games that families participated in, such as ‘Dollies Go Green’ and ‘Limelight’. Parents also worked together to set up numerous stalls to sell jewellery, apparel and food.

INTERNaTIoNal FIESTa CElEbRaTES CulTuRal DIVERSITY

To encourage students to accept, embrace and celebrate cultural diversity, and to foster sensitivity towards members of the international community, GIIS Balestier Campus organised an International Fiesta on 26 August 2016.

The fiesta began with classes 1 to 4 presenting on different countries from other continents. Then, students from classes 5

a TRIP wITH a DIFFERENCE

On 17 August 2016, 13 students from Class 10 of GIIS East Coast Campus departed to Penang, Malaysia for a three-day trip to enlighten themselves with the mechanics of co-operatives in the schools there. Co-operatives are small businesses run in its entirety by students, with teachers helping to supervise and provide assistance and guidance when required. The main objective of the trip was to learn entrepreneurial and leadership skills.

The students visited three schools: St George’s Girls School, MRSM Kepala Batas School and SMKA (P) ALMashoor School. At these schools, the student discovered various co-op set-ups, such as co-op stationery shop, canteen, marts, etc. St George’s Girls School shared about their special section for blind students in their co-op, MRSM Kepala Batas School shared their entrepreneur specialty of creating their own three scents of perfume made solely from pure herbs, and SMKA (P) ALMashoor School shared about their

special co-op that provided schoolbooks and popular Malaysian snacks to students to generate extra profit.

GIIS EaST CoaST Co-oP Club

The GIIS East Coast Campus Co-op Club is formed by GIIS East Coast Campus with the help and support from Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF). The club’s activities are offered to all students in the school and it allows a safe environment for students to hangout and pursue entrepreneurial interest in students.

The GIIS East Coast Campus Co-op Club sells creative products made by students, low cost stationery and even organic vegetables. The club also aims to provide assistance to charity organisations through profits earned from sales. As the co-operative is run by students for students, serving the needs of students is the co-op’s main goal. The GIIS East Coast Campus Co-op Club comprises three major business models: Running a Snack Shop, Veggie & Fruits Dukan, and Creative Products and Stationery Shop.

and 6 portrayed the spirit of internationalism through sports around the world, as well as presented a skit that talked about three distinguished female scientists from Poland and USA. The enterprising students also set up game stalls for the day that were visited by both the students and parents. Parents also chipped in for International Fiesta by setting up food stalls to sell popular cuisines from around the world.

Singapore

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laNTERN PaINTING FoR MID-auTuMN CElEbRaTIoNS IN CHINaTowN

On 28 August 2016, a group of students from GIIS Balestier Campus had a chance to express their artistic flair in a Lantern Painting Competition held at the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival of 2016. The students had to paint the surface of a Chinese lantern, which took a considerable amount of skill due to its curved shape and thin paper. This did not deter the students, however, and they emerged victorious in the competition. Vaishvi of Class 2 bagged a consolation prize in Category B, and Tansha Surendra of Class 6 bagged a creative award and consolation prize in Category C.

SINGaPoRE kINDNESS MoVEMENT wITH GIIS STuDENTS

Fostering values of kindness and graciousness is a part of the GIIS 9 Gems model. For the island-wide Singapore Kindness Movement, GIIS Balestier Campus students organised a visit to the elderly members from Sree Narayan

SECoND PlaCE FoR STuDENTS IN SEF oRaToRY CoMPETITIoN

Students from GIIS Balestier Campus took part in the Scholastic Environment Fund (SEF) Oratory Competition at the ISS International School in Singapore on 3 September 2016. Ananth Madhusudhanan from Class 6 was shortlisted for the final individual round, while Pavananjali from Class 5, Janesha from Class 4 and Adeep Dev Srivastava from Class 6 represented

the school in the group round at this prestigious platform.

The students presented on environmental problems and focused on the issue of carbon footprint and also talked about the simple things mankind can do to protect the environment. The judges then posed questions to the presenters who responded enthusiastically and wisely. It made the whole session informative and lively.

The programme concluded with an award ceremony, where GIIS Balestier Campus won second prize and brought home gold certificates and cash prizes of S$100 each. Guest of honour, Ms Manuela Bruntraeger who is Miss Earth 2016, presented the awards to the winners and also encouraged the students to continue caring for the environment through her inspiring speech.

SEF’s mission is to encourage families and societies to help make the earth greener. Such competitions are held annually to raise global awareness about the environment and to foster a healthy respect for the earth in children.

Mission, Singapore on 26 August 2016. Kindergarten students presented a skit, and students from classes 5 and 6 then had the opportunity to interact with the elderly residents. The residents played games, and shared nostalgic memories with the students in return. They were extremely happy to have attended the event and were also presented goody bags and a gift hamper from the iCare programme.

Singapore

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GIIS STuDENTS CoNTRIbuTE To CoMMuNITY

Community Connection, Care & Conserve is one of the 9 Gems under a dynamic framework of holistic learning that meets the changing needs of students in GIIS. All students are encouraged to take part in community initiatives launched by the school and contribute to the community they are living in. As a part of the Ramadan Community Drive, students donated clothes, shoes, milk and juice to the needy. The clothes and shoes were donated to the Red Crescent of the Baniyas Branch, and milk and juice were donated to the China camp located in Baniyas (Abu Dhabi).

INTER-SCHool CoMPETITIoN oN INTERNaTIoNal DaY oF NoN-VIolENCE

In observance of the International Day of Nonviolence, which also marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, GIIS Abu Dhabi Campus organised its very first inter-school competition, which was held on 6 October 2016. More than 250 students from nine Indian curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi participated in the competitions.

Principal Mr Ramesh Mudgal welcomed guests and judges to the occasion before he introduced the teams from various schools. Business Development Manager, Mr Rajendran, also spoke on the importance of peace and nonviolence in today’s world.

There were a variety of competitions for the day, such as poster making, group dancing, group singing, and putting on a skit that really brought out the students’ talents. The valedictory ceremony was filled with enthusiasm and exhilaration as results were announced. All the participating schools were able to bring home trophies, goody bags, and joyful memories of the day. Mr Amol Vaidya, Director of Operations, commended the meticulous efforts of the organising committee and congratulated the teams for their ardent participation.

These competitions instilled confidence, provided a platform for self-development, and helped develop a sense of respect towards peace, harmony and nonviolence in the mind of every participant.

Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi

TEaCHER’S DaY CElEbRaTIoNS

In recognition of the contributions made by the teachers, GIIS Abu Dhabi Campus celebrated Teacher’s Day with fun and fervour on 5 September 2016. Students from classes 4 to 8 organised a scintillating cultural programme to felicitate the teachers. Ms Parool Singh started the programme off with a welcome speech. This was followed by a group song and a short speech by Joseph of Class 8, who thanked the teachers for playing a pivotal role in shaping their future and making them responsible citizens of tomorrow. He also expressed his gratitude for the teachers who were always there for their students. There was then a dance by students of classes 3 and 5, and a skit that rightly showed the influential role of teachers in shaping the lives of students. As a token of appreciation to the teachers, the students presented them with a handmade card. Management also presented teachers with a gift as a special gesture in recognition of their service. Principal Mr Ramesh Mudgal then gave a short speech and encouraged the students to renew their vows to work hard to their teachers.

FIRST INVESTITuRE CEREMoNY

GIIS Abu Dhabi Campus conducted its first Investiture Ceremony on 11 May 2016. The event was graced by Mr Kamal Gupta, COO of Global Schools Foundation; Mr Amol Vaidya, Director of Operations; Mr Ramesh Mudgal, Principal of GIIS Abu Dhabi Campus; and senior leaders from the school’s management committee. Members of the newly appointed Student Council were then

uSE THE INTERNET wISElY

A presentation on ‘Internet Security for Students’ was conducted by the Community Police on 25 May 2016 for students of classes 6 to 8. The elaborate presentation was an eye-opener and extremely informative on the real dangers of using social networking sites. The students were told that while using such sites was entertaining, they had to exercise caution when dealing with strangers on the internet, as well as be weary of sites that asked for personal information.

invested into their new positions with the handing over of badges. Mr Gupta, in his address to the students, emphasised the focus GIIS has on developing leadership skills in each student. Principal Mr Mudgal then administered the oath into office. Head Boy Gokul Krishna Pandian presented his acceptance speech on behalf of the entire student body. Aarushi Gupta, Head Girl, then gave her thanks before the end of the event. It was clear that there was pride and happiness among the parents whose children had received a badge of honour.

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bIRD waTCHING TRIP FoR STuDENTS aT kaSaI RINkaI PaRk

GIIS Tokyo Campus students had the opportunity to go bird watching at Kasai Rinkai Park on 2 July 2016. Teachers of Class 1, Ms Aditi Patki and Ms Itako, along with a few parents, accompanied the students on the trip. During the tour, the students were able to spot a number of bird species, such as the egret, cormorant, grebe, black-tailed gull, black crow, tree sparrow, starling and more. The tour also gave the students an opportunity to learn the Japanese names and interesting facts about the birds.

TRaFFIC DRIll TEaCHES STuDENTS RoaD SaFETY

Students learnt about safety on the road during a traffic drill organised on 4 July 2016. Ms Tanaka, Ms Ushiro, and Ms Aoki of the Kasai Traffic Police Department were in attendance to instruct, demonstrate and educate on various traffic drills. The workshop highlighted the importance of taking a whole-of-service approach to road safety education. It featured real life experiences of children and families, and addressed local road safety needs and concerns.

The session was aimed at showing students that ignorance on the road can

RENowNED INDIaN 3G TEaM PERFoRMS ‘lIVE’ FoR STuDENTS

On 13 April 2016, students at GIIS Tokyo Campus were treated to a spellbinding ‘live’ performance by India’s famous 3G Team.

The prominent Indian 3G Team comprises Padma Bhushan, Vikku Vinayakram, his son V Selvaganesh, and his grandson, S Swaminathan. Mr Vinaykram is a Grammy award winning Indian percussionist. He plays Carnatic music with the ghatam, an

GuEST lECTuRE PRoGRaMME oN DRoNE TECHNoloGY

GIIS Tokyo Campus organised a Guest Lecture Programme on Drone Technology for students of classes 5 to 12 in June 2016. The programme was conducted by Mr Mandar Shendge, a senior manager in an IT company located in Tokyo, where he specialises in Drone Technology.

Mr Shendge used his time to speak about the technology in detail, informing students on what drones are, how they are made and the potential future of the technology. After the presentation, he showed a video on how drones fly and their wide applications in various fields. It was mentioned in the presentation that drones are especially used by farmers in India to spray pesticides on large areas, so as to reduce the amount of manual labour needed. The programme ended with a Q&A session where curious students had their many queries answered by Mr Shendge.

earthen pot, and is credited with popularising the instrument. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2002 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014. Mr Selvaganesh, his son, is an Indian percussionist working in the Carnatic tradition and is one of the leading Kanjira (South Indian frame drum) players of his generation.

After the concert was a workshop by the team for students of classes 4 and above. The students were also able to ask Mr Vinayakram questions in an interactive session.

Japan

lead to fatal accidents. The workshop presented data about road accidents in the country and encouraged students to realise that just paying attention to road situations could mean saving their own lives. It was discovered that being impatient on the road was a main cause of accidents. The students were also informed about mandatory, cautionary and informative traffic signals.

Ms Ushiro then explained various traffic signals and their significance. She also educated the students on rules for bicycle riding on the road and the importance of helmet usage.

The engrossing session was definitely an enriching one for students, as well as a great reminder to all to remember to be safe when they travel.

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aNNual SPoRTS MEET SHowS TalENTS oF GIIS STuDENTS

The Annual Sports Meet of GIIS Tokyo Campus was held at Shinden Elementary School in Nishikasai, Edogawa-ku on 5 June 2016. Mr Takayuki Honda and Mr Tadahiro Tramura from the Security Department of Kasai Police Station were guests of honour for the classes 3 to 12 event, while Martial Artist Mr Angelo Jefferson graced the event as guest of honour for the kindergarteners, and classes 1 and 2 event.

In the kindergarteners, and classes 1 and 2 event, the students participated in PT displays and various class races. For the older classes, the event began with a march past of all four houses, Chrysanthemum, Hibiscus, Orchid and Sunflower. This was followed by a relay race, yoga session, karate session, and various other races for the classes from 3 to 12. The end of the programme saw the guests of honour awarding medals and trophies to the winners.

Best HouseWinner: Chrysanthemum HouseFirst runner-up: Hibiscus House

Best March PastWinner: Orchid HouseFirst runner-up: Chrysanthemum House

CElEbRaTING INDIa’S 70TH INDEPENDENCE DaY wITH FERVouR

Students from GIIS Tokyo Campus took part in splendid celebrations for India’s 70th Independence Day at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo. The participating students put up impressive and mesmerising performances during the event that garnered praises from Honourable Ambassador, HE Mr Sujan R Chinoy. The students also sang a well-known Hindi patriotic song, ‘Aarambh Hai Prachand’, from the 2009 movie, ‘Gulaal’.

After the flag hoisting by Mr Chinoy and the singing of the national anthem, Mr Chinoy

then read the Hon’ble President of India’s address to the nation. Members of the audience were also shown a short video on the government of India’s projected various schemes and programmes for the future.

Japan

FuN FIElDTRIPS aCRoSS TokYo FoR STuDENTS

Students from GIIS Tokyo Campus went on enjoyable fieldtrips to various attractions in Tokyo this year. The fieldtrips give students a chance to learn beyond the classroom and explore their world by broadening their horizons.

The young Kindergarten students went on an educational trip to Ueno Zoo (Onshi Ueno Dōbutsun), a 35-acre zoo. It is Japan’s oldest zoo that opened in March 1882, and is located in Ueno Park, a large urban park home to museums, a small amusement park, and other attractions.

Students from classes 1 to 5 went to Anderson Athletic Park in Chiba, where they were challenged in their athletic abilities. There were many challenges in the athletic path that took several hours to

complete from start to finish.

For classes 6 to 12, the students visited The National Diet, which is Japan’s parliament and is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It is composed of a lower house called the House of Representatives, and an upper house called the House of Councillors. The students thoroughly enjoyed the visit and learnt interesting facts about parliament.

The students then later visited the famous Edo-Tokyo Museum, which exhibits artefacts relating to the history of Tokyo during the Edo period. Established in 1993, the main features of the permanent exhibitions include the life-size replica of the Nihonbashi, a bridge that led into Edo; Nakamura-za, one of the three main kabuki theatres of the Edo period; and scale models of towns and buildings from the Edo, Meiji, and Shōwa periods.

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GIIS STuDENTS baG FIRST PlaCE IN SINGING CoMPETITIoN

Students from GIIS Ahmedabad Campus placed first in the Bharat Vikas Parishad interschool patriotic song competition that saw participation from 35 schools. The Bharat Vikas Parishad in a non-profit organisation that aims to conserve Indian culture with traditional Hindi music and Indian musical instruments. During the competition, only Indian instruments could be used. Ravi Patadiya, the school’s music teacher, composed the song sung by the students, with inputs from percussionist William Christian. GIIS Ahmedabad Campus is proud of the students’ victorious achievement!

‘GIIS baNk’ TEaCHES kINDERGaRTENERS REal lIFE SkIllS

The young Kindergarten students of GIIS Ahmedabad Campus were in for a surprise when they visited the school’s AV room and found that a bank had taken over. ‘GIIS BANK’ was an initiative by teachers to acquaint the young students with the concept of banking and to show them a practical demonstration of how a bank operates.

‘GIIS BANK’ contained all the workings of a real bank with tellers, bank counters, and even an ATM! The teachers also

PlEDGING To PlaNT MoRE TREES FoR a GREENER ToMoRRow

Students from GIIS Ahmedabad Campus have initiated a campaign and pledged to plant tree saplings in and around the school campus. About 150 saplings have already been planted in the school’s front garden and are carefully looked after daily. ‘Community Connection, Care & Concern’ is one of the 9 Gems, a holistic learning framework followed by all students in GIIS

campuses. This gem focuses on nurturing empathy, building a green environment, and helping the underprivileged. It is through this initiative that students hope to contribute in their own way to the betterment of the environment.

brought in pay slips, chequebooks and bundles of cash to demonstrate the process of withdrawing and depositing cash, as well as making transactions with a bank teller. The highlight was, of course, the ATM. The teachers creatively designed a box to look like an ATM, with slots cut for children to put in their debit card and to collect their cash. The teachers also used an iPad for the ATM’s screen. The children were then instructed to make a withdrawal by punching in their PIN number.

The real-life demonstration in a safe learning environment definitely piqued the interest of the children and enabled them to quickly pick up the basics of banking.

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HERalDING a NEw CaDRE

Newly elected members of the Student Council for the academic year of 2016-2017 were sworn into office at the Investiture Ceremony on 4 July 2016. Guest of honour, Ms Gomathi H, a leading scientist at ISRO, Bengaluru, presided over the event, along with Principal Mr Ganesh Sharma; Ms Preetha D’Mello, National Resource Co-ordinator Pre-Primary; Ms Aracha Sina, Academic Co-ordinator; and other teachers.

Ms Gomathi addressed the Student Council and congratulated the new members for their new posts. She also emphasised the need for the student leaders to have discipline and a sense of responsibility, and to be motivators to the entire student body.

aCaDEMIC aCHIEVEMENTS awaRDED aT aNNual PRIZE DaY

The hard work put in by students in the academic year of 2015-2016 was recognised and felicitated at GIIS Bengaluru Campus’ Annual Prize Day. The ceremony saw a handful of awards being handed out to the students, such as participation certificates for their completion of the Helen O’Grady Program that helps children with their communication, listening and conversational skills. There were also

YouNG MINDS aSSEMblE aT MuN To RESolVE ISSuES oF Global CoNCERN

The first edition of the GIIS Model United Nations (MUN) Conference was held on 15 July 2016 at GIIS Chinchwad Campus. The two-day conference, themed ‘We are the WORLD’, was held to debate and discuss issues of international concern for which intervention of future leaders is of

awards handed out to the winners of Mathathon 2015 and the Written and Oral Spelling Bee contests, as well as certificates of merit presented to the School and Zone rank holders of the International English Olympiad from the Science Olympiad Foundation. Best Performers of the previous academic year, as well as students holding a 100 percent attendance record were also awarded on this joyous occasion. It has been a great pleasure for the teachers at GIIS Bengaluru Campus to mentor and motivate these students to push their boundaries to achieve great academic excellence.

paramount importance. Holding MUN, which is a simulation of United Nations, is a pioneering step taken by the campus towards sensitising students about pressing global issues, as well as to add new dimension to the holistic development of children.

There were more than 170 participating delegates in five committees, the United Nations General Assembly: Disarmament and International Security

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(UNGA-DISEC), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), United Nations Environmental Programme and the South Asian Association for Region Cooperation.

Continued on next page ...

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lINGuISTICS woRkSHoP FoR PaRENTS

Language skills, an important pillar of learning for Global Montessori Plus pedagogy, is introduced to students in a sequential pattern. To familiarise parents with this learning framework, a workshop on phonics and language was organised for parents of GIIS Noida Campus. Ms Rachna Jain, Academic Co-ordinator, Pre-Primary, taught the workshop and used real life case studies to emphasise the various aspects of language learning. She then explained how phonics can help a child recognise words and develop their reading skills more quickly. Ms Jain also shared tips and tricks that will help children develop a strong understanding of the language.

GIRlS’ NETball TEaM bRINGS lauRElS aT SGFI INTERSCHool NETball TouRNaMENT

The girls’ netball team at GIIS Indore Campus did the school proud at the recent SGFI Interschool Netball

CElEbRaTING HINDI DIwaS

Students at GIIS Noida Campus celebrated Hindi Diwas (day) over the course of two days. The celebration is to promote the use of Hindi and to enhance writing and reciting skills in the language. The young kindergarten and nursery students celebrated the occasion with participation in Chaupayi Vachan and a Hindi poem recitation competition. For older students in classes 1 to 9, inter-house competitions were organised based on a theme. Students from classes 6 to 9 also performed their award-winning performance of Nukad Natak at the Interschool Literacy Competition held at Sapphire International School, Noida.

Tournament held at the Alpine Academy. A total of 16 schools participated in the gruelling and exhilarating game. The girls’ team of eight played skilfully and won a match against JJPS School. In the finals, GIIS Indore Campus faced off against IPS Academy and our team managed to win with a score of 3 goals versus 1 goal. GIIS Indore Campus was awarded second runners up in the tournament.

At the inaugural ceremony, the school choir sang the Michael Jackson hit, ‘We are the World’, before Chief Guest, Ms Shweta Innani, Assistant Vice President of Credit Suisse addressed the conference. In attendance were also Principal Dr Amrita Vohra, Vice Principal Ms Radhika Rele, Ms Vaishali Borde, National Head, Global Schools Foundation – CCA & Early Years, and other members of the Executive Board.

The conference then saw the participating delegates discuss the Jaffna issue, Nuclear Proliferation in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, the territorial disputes between SAARC Nations, and many other relevant concerns challenging the world today.

The conference concluded with the Valedictory Ceremony where awards were handed out for Best Delegate, Special Mention and High Commendation for each committee. Mr Shrivardhan Gadgil, CEO and Director of BHTC was present at this occasion.

... Continued from “Young minds assemble at MUN to resolve issues of global concern”

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CoMMuNITY HElPERS No loNGER STRaNGERS

With an aim to enhance students’ social development skills, GIIS Indore Campus celebrated ‘Community Helpers Day’ to show gratitude and appreciation to the community helpers. The celebrations began with a special morning assembly conducted by pre-primary students, who collaborated in teams to reflect upon the importance of the community helpers’ service. After this were skits by the students that showed why respect has to be given to everyone in the community. The activities helped build confidence and raise respectful manners in everyone.

CElEbRaTING INTERNaTIoNal YoGa DaY

Students from GIIS Indore Campus paid tribute to the ancient Indian science of exercise and healing with great enthusiasm on International Yoga Day. Celebrations started as early as 6.45am on 21 June 2016 at the campus. There was a huge turnout of teachers, students, and even parents, who came together to

FIRST PlaCE awaRDED To GIIS STuDENTS IN MobIlE aPP CoMPETITIoN

Four students at GIIS Surat Campus were awarded first place at the Interschool

APPSCON Competition. The competition required participants to create an Android-enabled mobile application and present it to a panel of judges through a presentation. Class 10 students, Aayush Vaghani, Jitendra D. Choudhary, Jitendra P. Choudhary, and Yash Suthar, beat nine other teams from nine schools with their innovative app, The S.O.S Defender. Their winning app was created to help protect the vulnerable. GIIS Surat Campus congratulates the IT wizards for their ingenuity!

MICRoSoFT SElECTS GIIS INDoRE CaMPuS aS ‘SHowCaSE SCHool’

GIIS Indore Campus has been identified as a ‘Microsoft Showcase School’ for the academic year 2016-2017, in recognition of being an impactful global educator that is always pushing boundaries in learning with creativity and technology.

The recognition further amplifies the school’s pioneering efforts in introducing technology in classrooms and leveraging on it to deliver lesson plans, redesign learning spaces, restructure curriculum, reinvent pedagogy and help students to connect with the world, thereby nurturing them to become true global citizens.

In partnership with Microsoft, the school provides valuable insights and feedback on new educational products to ensure the school is able to introduce the newest and most beneficial products for teachers and students to use.

Microsoft Showcase Schools are a global community of more than 800 schools engaged in digital transformation to improve teaching and learning. Showcase Schools create immersive and inclusive experiences that inspire lifelong learning, stimulating development of essential life skills so students are empowered to achieve more.

unleash their energies into the yogic asanas of spirituality and healing. Mr Dinesh Patel introduced the crowd to the world of yoga and its significance before leading demonstrations in various yogasanas and their benefits in daily life.

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The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at GIIS hones young minds through its well balanced curriculum, which is focused on research, academics and practical application.

GIIS' IB Results Highlights

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

Global Indian International School | CPE Reg No: 200912349N | Validity: 25 Feb 2015 to 24 Feb 2019

IB WorldToppers - 45/456 Near-perfect

scorers - 44/4518Admissions Open

-Amitesh SivaramanIB World Topper 2016

Perfect scorer (45/45 points)GIIS Singapore Campus

“The engagement and active participationin the learning process at GIIS motivated me.”

[email protected]

(+65) 9631 6000

(+65) 6508 3715

www.globalindianschool.org

“THE oNlY waY To Do GREaT woRk

IS To loVE wHaT You Do”

– Steve Jobs

COveR StORYThe International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at GIIS hones young minds through its well balanced curriculum, which is focused on research, academics and practical application.

GIIS' IB Results Highlights

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

Global Indian International School | CPE Reg No: 200912349N | Validity: 25 Feb 2015 to 24 Feb 2019

IB WorldToppers - 45/456 Near-perfect

scorers - 44/4518Admissions Open

-Amitesh SivaramanIB World Topper 2016

Perfect scorer (45/45 points)GIIS Singapore Campus

“The engagement and active participationin the learning process at GIIS motivated me.”

[email protected]

(+65) 9631 6000

(+65) 6508 3715

www.globalindianschool.org

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Today’s students have more options than ever when it comes to the academic pathways available to them. With so many possibilities from which to choose, how do you know which approach to education is the best fit? As it turns out, there’s no single factor that distinguishes us from our competition. Instead, there are 16 ways that GIIS shines as an education thought leader and unparalleled provider of quality learning opportunities.

The needs of students are anything but static. Our award-winning holistic teaching method, the 9 (Nine) Gems, provides a dynamic, integrated learning framework aimed at meeting students where they are and continues to evolve with them as they grow. It begins by supporting the development of values, ethics, discipline, creativity and personality in the earliest educational years and shifts its focus to academic achievement, leadership and entrepreneurial skills, and key competencies for vocational and career advancement as students progress into their secondary school years.

There’s a reason why the 9 (Nine) Gems approach is recognised as an international best practice and has won the prestigious Golden Peacock Award for Innovation: It works!

No discussion on accountability at GIIS is complete without mention of the 7S Analysis. This statistical model allows for the pre-emptive evaluation of student learning. While other schools are forced into reactive positions due to a lack of adequate tools for assessment, 7S Analysis guarantees that all of our students have action plans in place that are designed to help them reach their next levels of competency. Need more proof of the impact of 7S Analysis? We’ve seen a 14 percent rise in student performance since its debut.

We could easily coast on our reputation but doing so would run counter to our mission. Instead, we established the Global Centre for Education Excellence (GCEE) to promote the ongoing quality of our academic offerings. From its founding in 2008, GCEE has been dedicated to continual enhancement and improvement across all of our campuses through the establishment of stellar standards and the encouragement of creative and effective teaching methods, along with a monitored and measurable system. This has resulted in accountability towards our goal of nurturing happy, well-rounded children.

waYS THE GIIS ExPERIENCE STaNDS ouT FRoM THE REST SpAWninG A neW erA in eDuCAtion

THE 9 (NINE) GEMS

7S aNalYSIS

GCEE

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The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is interwoven across the entire GIIS experience. Students are not only encouraged to participate in Community Action Service (CAS) and GIVE back programmes, but CAS service is a requirement.

Perhaps this is no better evidenced than by the Mahatma Gandhi Global Indian Eklavya School (MGGIES), a joint initiative of the Global Schools Foundation (GSF) and the state government of Gujarat, India. Its purpose is to introduce quality education to India’s most remote tribal regions. Other GIIS programmes that reinforce the campus-wide commitment to CSR also include Social Empowerment through Work and Action (SEWA) and CAS. CSR has become such an integral part of the GIIS ethos that it is no longer just something that students do – it has become a part of who they are.

GIIS’ extensive network allows for prominent experts in their fields to come and openly discuss with the next generation of thinkers and leaders at the GIIS Leadership Lecture Series. This popular initiative fosters an environment ripe for innovation and creativity by providing students with the opportunity to challenge themselves against some of today’s greatest minds. Cricket luminary Chandu Borde, Oscar and Grammy award-winning music composer AR Rahman, Bollywood icon Hrithik Roshan, Indian economist and the 22nd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Dr D. Subbarao, and social activist Dr Laxmi Gautam are just a handful of the esteemed speakers who have enlightened our students with their insights.

Successfully navigating the many challenges facing society today will take much more than a sharp mind. It also requires responsibility, kindness, harmony, empathy, integration and care, and a need for leaders to nurture those traits in their fellow citizens. To that end, we introduced our visionary Peace Curriculum, which aims to train students to “take on leadership roles as ambassadors of peace and integrity”.

Said Global Schools Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder Atul Temurnikar, “There is no greater tool than education to enhance human dignity, promote a culture of nonviolence, and build lasting peace. Through education, we can craft new ways of living in harmony with each other and the planet.”

Our Peace Curriculum has been widely lauded, with supporters including Mr Lee Kwang Boon, Vice President at the United Nations Association of Singapore, who recently advised students, “Never forget the values that you have learnt in this outstanding school. The skills you are acquiring through education don’t just enable you to do well, they enable you to do good. Education is vital for fostering global citizenship and building peaceful societies.”

waYS THE GIIS ExPERIENCE STaNDS ouT FRoM THE REST SpAWninG A neW erA in eDuCAtion

CoRPoRaTE SoCIal RESPoNSIbIlITY

lEaDERSHIP lECTuRE SERIES

PEaCE CuRRICuluM

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The purpose of MGGIES is to introduce quality education to India’s most remote tribal regions

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Cover Story

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It’s never too early to start cultivating a love of learning in children. The Global Montessori Plus programme fuses a preferred practice in early education with the world renowned Montessori method to create an extraordinary learning environment geared to meet the social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of children. In helping students reach their fullest potential at an early age, we set them on a journey suspending short-term academic success for a lifetime love of learning.

Global MoNTESSoRI PluS PRoGRaMME

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Our Happiness Index prioritises a stress-free environment integral to learning and overall well-being.

We are proud to have been declared the world’s most award-winning school in terms of academic excellence. But research shows that in order to achieve academic excellence, students must be primed to learn. We have found that the best way to ensure this mindset is to invest in their happiness.

Enter the GIIS Happiness Index. While quantifying happiness may seem like a tall order, we set out to do exactly that. From adding more green spaces to involving parents and even grandparents, our Happiness Index prioritises a stress-free environment integral to learning and overall well-being.

HaPPINESS INDEx

GIIS campuses are rich with talent. Inter-GIIS competitions in fields like the performing arts and athletics give students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to come together to acknowledge their strengths and celebrate with the diverse and cosmopolitan community in the school.

INTER-GIIS CoMPETITIoNS

From TEDx talks organised by the students themselves to entrepreneurship fairs, the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well at GIIS. A commitment to instilling critical thinking, creativity, communication, and decision-making and problem-solving skills is found across the Nine Gems, with Gem 1 (Leadership & Entrepreneurship) and Gem 3 (Creativity and Innovation) specifically dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship. The Real World Challenges Convention (RWCC), GIIS Entrepreneurship Programme, and GIIS Comprehensive Creativity Development Programme (CCDP) all provide outstanding outlets for the many aspiring entrepreneurs among us.

ENTREPRENEuRSHIP

No GIIS campus exists in a vacuum. While many of our contemporaries erect walls – metaphoric or otherwise – between students and their surroundings, we believe that students are premier ambassadors for community engagement. Integration is therefore paramount, with students actively encouraged to participate in a range of exercises, from community service to cultural programmes.

We are delighted to say we have been so successful in this respect that we were included in the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) publication, “Integration in Singapore Schools: A Best Practices Package”.

CoMMuNITY INTEGRaTIoN

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Cover Story

Today’s students – and tomorrow’s leaders – require core competency in subjects, including English, Math and Science. Rigorous testing, STEM initiatives, and e-learning programmes like our pioneering initiative HeyMath! offer a combination of self-learning mechanisms and assessments all aimed at diagnosing a student’s learning outcomes.

Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.

Innovation does not happen spontaneously. It requires cultivation, which is where Multiple Mechanisms for Institutionalising Innovation (M²I²) enters the picture. This cutting-edge framework provides a sustainable paradigm for inclusive growth. Beginning with idea generation and continuing through with the process of formalising these ideas into initiatives, M²I² ensures that student innovation is bolstered every step of the way with guidance and input from our eminent faculty.

Corporate social responsibility does not just apply to treating the people of this planet with care – it also applies to the planet itself. Our Green Curriculum unites students with local environmental organisations to work together on collaborative projects focused on conservation. Whether raising awareness about water usage or conducting research on how to improve electricity efficiency, GIIS students take on real and meaningful roles in the effort to save earth.

lEaRNING MoDElS

M²I²

GREEN CuRRICuluM

uNIVERSal ValuES

While the influence of Mahatma Gandhi, along with his encouragement to “be the change you want to see”, can be experienced across the entire GIIS system, it is highlighted at the Global Indian Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Universal Values (MGCUV). GIIS campuses all over the world have MGCUV centres, each devoted to imbuing students with the great leader’s values and beliefs, which are just as applicable today as they were nearly a century ago.

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The fact that we have accomplished so much in our relatively short history speaks of our ambition. We have been so widely acclaimed for excellence in these endeavours that this shows our extraordinary

commitment. The GIIS of today looks different than the GIIS of yesterday and the GIIS of tomorrow also promises to look different than that of today. But one overarching principle remains for GIIS: while each of these parts is impressive on its own, together they form a uniquely symbiotic result, a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts in advancing our mission of nurturing global citizens.

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Admissions open for Nursery, K1 and K2

Global Indian International School | CPE Reg No. 200912349N | Validity: 25 Feb 2015 to 24 Feb 2019

[email protected]

www.globalindianschool.org

BETTER FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER FUTURE

“MIND IS NEVER a PRoblEM. MINDSET IS”

– Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi

FeAtUReS

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While Dubai has claimed territory as the major tourist destination hub in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi does boast an almost equally comparable tourism infrastructure. The capital city of UAE is located off the mainland on an island in the Persian Gulf, giving travellers here a rare opportunity to experience luxury in the city, at the beach and in the desert.

EaT

Lebanese FlowerLonely Planet named Lebanese Flower a ‘local legend’ and it is easy to see why. Even with four outlets strewn across the city, and opening hours from as early as 7am to 3am daily, large crowds pack the eateries through the day. Traditional favourites here include generous plates of mezze, including traditional favourites such as chicken livers, fried haloumi (cheese) and tabouli (vegetarian tomato salad). Its biggest draw in recent years, however, is the shawarma, where large skewers of meat are grilled in a vertical rotisserie. Chefs then slice of portions of meat and stuff them in a tortilla wrap dressed liberally with a garlic sauce. At the Khalidiya branch, about 1,500 shawarma are sold every night.Visit this branch at Al Manhal Area, Al Khalidiya

Bord EauAbu Dhabi today is a cosmopolitan that welcomes visitors from all corners of the earth. Bord Eau, located in Shangri-La Hotel, Abu Dhabi, is a fine reflection of just some of the international offerings available in this city. Diners repeatedly flock back to this award-winning French restaurant for its beautifully plated French cuisine. Opt for the Blind Tasting Menus, a take on the Japanese’s omakase style of dining where chefs prepare menus du jour, basing dishes around whatever fleeting fresh produce is available to the restaurant that day. Be sure to order one of their signature dessert creations to end the meal. The Vanilla and

Grand Marnier Souffle, and Chocolate Extravaganza are classics not to be missed.Level 3, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri

aTTRaCTIoNS

Sheikh Zayed Grand MosqueConceived by the first president of the UAE, Sheik Zayed, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is able to accommodate 41,000 worshippers. It is also one of the few in the region that is open to non-Muslims as well. The interior of the mosque is even more impressive and is a masterpiece of modern Islamic architecture and design. In the main prayer hall, three steel, gold, brass and crystal chandeliers sparkle with Swarovski crystals. The prayer hall also has the world’s largest loomed carpet, made over two years by 1,200 craftsmen, that features a medallion design with elaborate arabesque motifs.Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Streetszgmc.ae

Al Mina Fish MarketCan a trip to the Middle East be really complete without a visit to their world-famous souks (marketplace)? Don’t miss your chance to visit some of the most stimulating enclaves in Abu Dhabi. One of the more popular ones includes Al Mina Fish Market, a Tsukiji (Tokyo) Arabian comparative, located near the Dhow Harbour. The large fish market is a visual feast of colour with its neatly displayed rows of blue-grey prawns, orange-spotted trevally, blue-shelled crabs, red snappers, and a host more other unlikely seafood. For a truly memorable meal, select your choice of seafood to be gutted and prepared, as well spices from around the market. Hand the whole lot over to the cooks at the back of the spice area, who will cook up a fragrant seafood curry or simply grill the seasoned seafood. The finished dish is best enjoyed on the harbour outside.Dhow Harbour, Al Mina

aRabIaN NIGHTS IN abu DHabI

GIIS’ newest campus is in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The world’s largest hand-loomed carpet, the fastest roller coaster, the highest high tea, the tower with the greatest lean and the largest cluster of cultural buildings of the 21st century, are just some of the things that make Abu Dhabi reminiscent of a city from the 1960’s cartoon, The Jestsons.

travel

TOP Left Tall skyscrapers were unheard of just a couple of decades ago

TOP Right The impressive Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is home to the world’s largest hand-loomed carpet

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aCTIVITIES

Abu Dhabi Desert SafariTake a spin around sand dunes as a modern nomad with a thrilling overnight desert safari. During the safari, expect an adrenaline filled drive through some of the highest sand dunes in the UAE, and a stop at a camel farm. The day comes to an end with a sunset watch, camel riding and sand boarding before a barbecue dinner with authentic Arabian belly dancing as entertainment. At nightfall, retreat to a traditional Bedouin style campsite in the middle of the desert for a good night’s rest.abudhabi-desert-safari.com

Arabian Wildlife ParkAlthough mainly desert, Abu Dhabi is home to some incredible wildlife. Some 10,000 free roaming animals alone can be found at the Arabian Wildlife Park on Sir Bani Yas Island. The park takes up about half of the island and features both indigenous and endangered wildlife. Visitors to the park can embark on a 4X4 adventure led by expert guides. Drive through the natural habitats of cheetahs and flamingos for a glimpse of Mother Nature at hand. Apart from land creatures, visitors can also explore the deep blue with scuba diving and snorkelling sessions nearer the coast of the island. The coast also offers pearl diving, paddle boarding and day trips by seaplane or by boat for fun for the whole family.sirbaniyasisland.com

GETTING THEREAbu Dhabi is served by the Abu Dhabi International Airport, where there are 30 international and domestic airlines that offer service to 112 destinations in more than 40 countries, and non-stop services to all inhabited continents. Etihad Airways is the dominant airline at Abu Dhabi International Airport and has multiple flights to and from global cities such as, Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Tokyo and many more.

The easiest way to get to the city centre is via public transport. Look out for the green and white A1 bus that departs from terminals 1, 2 and 3 that runs 24 hours a day at 40-minute intervals. travel time to the city is approximately 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

GETTING aRouNDthe Abu Dhabi City Bus (dot.abudhabi.ae/en) operates on 14 routes that traverse all of Abu Dhabi. Get the rechargeable smart card, Hafilat, from vending machines at bus stops and

shopping malls for a fast and efficient way to get around the city. the temporary Card (Dh5, valid for 14 days) is the most useful for visitors.

taxis are widely available and can be easily flagged down by the side of the road. Women travelling by themselves should look out for the government-monitored Abu Dhabi taxi that operates a ladies’ cab service. Call ahead at +971 600 535 353 for a booking.

ClIMaTEAbu Dhabi is in a desert so expect higher temperatures in the day and chillier temperatures at night. The best time to visit is in the spring and fall shoulder seasons. Wintertime from December to March yields pleasant weather of mid-20s˚C to mid-10s˚C but demands a higher fluctuation of tourists. Off-peak season is in summer where temperatures can reach a scalding 42˚C but it means a tourist-free trip and off-season prices at major attractions.

TOP A desert safari takes travellers on a trip filled with traditions and customs

BOTTOM Gazelles and other wild animals roam free on Sir Bani Yas Island

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Perhaps there’s no better embodiment of this proverb than GIIS’ journey from humble origins to the dynamic, multi-campus school of today. What guided the school from its inception through now, and what will continue to fuel its growth in the future? The answer can be summed up in one simple world: Vision. From start-up to stronghold, here’s a closer look at the GIIS story.

GIIS v1.0 / STaRT-uP In September 2002, GIIS was in its inaugural year. Its first and only campus at this time was at Mount Sophia in Singapore and held just 48 students. Its modest beginnings are a stark contrast to what GIIS is today but delve deeper and its vision to become a global role model for teaching and learning was already apparent.

GIIS was born from a vision to provide students with high quality education that merges Indian and international curricula with an enhanced programme delivery mechanism. That vision sparked an idea – one that not only led to the formation of GIIS but also directly affected every decision made since then over the past 14 years.

Of course, an idea is nothing without people to power it, and GIIS can largely credit its success to the direction of its esteemed Advisory Board. The Advisory Board not only called on its own internal wisdom in steering the school but was also open to input and encouragement from leaders and luminaries in their fields, including Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the late former Prime Minister Emeritus Lee Kuan Yew, Dr Ela Gandhi, Dr LM Singhvi, and many others.

Also responsible for the school’s tremendous success? Its committed faculty, which Chairman and Co-Founder Atul Temurnikar considers to be the “brain and soul” of the intuition, as well as the outstanding students and their supportive families who have believed in the GIIS mission and advanced it through their own remarkable contributions. Six International Baccalaureate world toppers and 18 near perfect scores in just 15 years speak for themselves.

GIIS v2.0 / THE ExPaNSIoN The demand throughout Southeast Asia for GIIS’ innovative offerings is evident in the school’s meteoric growth and fast expansion. Part of GIIS’ allure was its seminal status as the very first school to offer both CBSE and IB curricula at its campuses.

This expansion was accompanied by GIIS’ characteristic commitment to quality, which led to the founding of the Global Centre of Education Excellence (GCEE) in 2008 and its objective of ensuring ongoing enhancements and improvements across all GIIS campuses. Since then, GIIS has gone on to receive 65 national and international awards for its practices, processes, innovation and more.

Today, there are 20 GIIS campuses in seven countries that offer multiple curricula to a diverse student body of more than 40 nationalities. And while these campuses may be geographically dispersed, they are inherently united by the inimitable GIIS ethos.

THE GIIS JouRNEY:From SmAll BeGinninGS to GreAt thinGS

Supporting the growth and development of the world’s future leaders, both in and out of the classrooms. GIIS’ past was bright but its future is even brighter, thanks to the enduring vision that has sustained the school – and its students – every step of the way.

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GIIS v3.0 / THE FuTuRE With so many notable accomplishments, GIIS could easily choose to rest on its laurels but the school has no plans to slow down anytime soon. On the contrary, the amalgam of extraordinary momentum, openness to new opportunities and a steadfast vision has positioned GIIS for even greater growth in the years ahead.

The GIIS tradition is strong but innate in that tradition is the mandate to evolve. As GIIS looks towards the future, its priorities include enhancing infrastructure, cultivating entrepreneurial skills in students, and integrating more technology in both operations and learning for the benefit of faculty and students alike. As always, the safety and wellbeing of staff and students will remain paramount with proactive measures aimed not just at acknowledging the challenges of today but also at identifying and addressing the challenges of tomorrow.

With GIIS’ take on a holistic approach to education, its impact has transcended the classroom to all other aspects of life, from playing fields to local communities.

2017 promises to be a milestone year for GIIS with many exciting changes ahead. But regardless of the rate or scope of its growth, GIIS will forever remain true to its mission of nurturing global citizens through creating engaging, personal and student-centred learning experiences.

From its inception, GIIS has been about much more than just teaching students. Its overarching purpose was and remains something greater: Supporting the growth and development of the world’s future leaders, both in and out of the classrooms. GIIS’ past was bright but its future is even brighter, thanks to the enduring vision that has sustained the school – and its students – every step of the way.

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Picture this: Young children busily pushing seeds into damp soil. The pots have been freshly painted by hand in bright colours to reflect each child’s own creative vision. The seeds, after they have been lovingly planted, will be tended to by these same children who will watch them grow, bloom and flourish under their care.

It may seem like an insignificant moment but it is small moments like these that add up to a greater movement that takes place among the youngest students at GIIS. A sensory-rich, compassion-building curriculum designed to awaken young minds to the natural world and the power of community, iCare is an innovative approach to creating an eco-conscious mindset in children’s earliest years.

It is clear to educated citizens across the globe that in order to solve the problems of the future, we must proactively make shifts in our attitudes towards our environment. In Montessori classrooms across GIIS campuses, educators are finding innovative and kind-hearted ways to do just that.

“The movement towards a deeper commitment to protect the environment through planting trees and looking after existing ones is rapidly increasing all over the world, and GIIS is committed to this as well. Such an activity will help our students enjoy great benefits as a consequence of their actions,” said Mr Rajeev Katyal, Country Director – India and Japan.

Global MoNTESSoRI PluS PRoGRaMMEteAChinG StuDentS CompASSion AnD ConServAtion throuGh our innovAtive “iCAre” initiAtive

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But iCare is not just limited to planting trees and saplings. The approach is a dynamic curriculum that offers perceptive activities for very young children to inspire them to care about the environment, as well as mankind within their own communities. Activities in the iCare curriculum are rich and varied. Students at some GIIS campuses observe Green Birthday, an occasion that sees each child plant a tree on their own birthday and help to maintain the tree throughout the year. In addition, educators model the consumption of eco-friendly goods and foods, and encourage families to make similar adjustments at home. Students also participate in a Garbage Walk, where they help to collect garbage and pick up litter to keep the school campus clean. This focus on waste shifts students’ perception that garbage is ‘icky’ to something that can be dealt with thoughtfully, so as to minimise waste for a healthier planet. At some campuses, students even learn to segregate ‘dry’ from ‘wet’ garbage to add to a compost pile containing organic waste materials that will then be used as a rich, natural fertiliser for the schools’ gardens.

The curriculum values not only up-close actions favouring the environment but also greater engagement with the community at large. Students at some campuses in India are taken on visits to nearby rivers and bodies of water to show the rising levels of water pollution, and are also given tours of water and sewage treatment plants. Instead of hearing about these concerns in a classroom setting, children are given the opportunity to absorb this information with all of their senses. This results in students becoming more

invested in taking a personal stand for the planet, which has influenced their families as well.

“Waste management can start at home and it is fulfilling to see how recycled junk becomes decorative pieces when you share the experience of creative use of bottles, glass, wires, etc. with your child. Children are made to feel responsible when they become aware of the need to preserve Mother Nature,” said Ms Vaishali Borde, National Academic Head – Co-Scholastics and Early Years.

This sense of importance also extends to fostering supportive and safe community engagement and activities. Students learn about and raise awareness for various environmental and safety causes, including the need for safe driving and passenger techniques, environmentally-friendly practices such as carpooling, and wearing protective gear in risky situations. Children also build and flex their activist muscles as they learn and passionately advocate the saving of endangered wildlife species like tigers, gorillas, dolphins, whales and sparrows.

Building up empathy for the environment and all living things that populate it can create long lasting compassion in GIIS students for years to come. The experiences of recycling in school, maintaining compost piles and planting trees will turn into lifelong habits that will be taught to future generations. Through iCare, GIIS is doing its part to ensure these inspiring, tender moments become the norm for our young and not the exception.

The seeds, after they have been lovingly planted, will be tended to by these same children who will watch them grow, bloom and flourish under their care.

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The holistic approach at GIIS campuses means that every student’s coursework helps prepare them for placement at a top university

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Across the globe, secondary school students fervently prepare for wherever life might take them next. Some students focus all their attention filling their time with extracurricular activities, while others consider entering the workforce. At GIIS, educators offer another path, one that leads students towards placement at excellent colleges and universities across the globe.

The Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), an international curriculum for students aged 14-16, is the world’s most popular pre-college examination, and is taken in over 100 countries worldwide. It is a rigorous preparation for the world’s stage, and one that is recognised by international universities across the world. The curriculum is challenging but with strong support, guidance and focus, the effort certainly pays off. One student who sat for the IGCSE 2014 examinations believes that his high scores were “an outcome of efficient study methods and the fantastic guidance of [the] teachers at GIIS”. Mr Manoj Nair, Country Director – Malaysia agreed with his statement. “The splendid achievements by our students is a testimony our teachers’ and parents’ collaborative efforts to ensure success in our students’ academic achievements,” he said.

These scores are especially significant when we consider the content of the IGCSE curriculum. Designed to develop students’ skills in creative thinking, enquiry and problem solving, success in IGCSE has wide recognition among higher education institutions and employers around the world as evidence of academic ability. GIIS is well suited in supporting students in their approach of this demanding material.

Once GIIS students enter secondary school, they are given additional opportunities to study from international curricula; GIIS Queenstown Campus in Singapore offers a choice between the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in classes 11 and 12. These curricula do not just provide a level of distinction that appeals to universities but the methods of study promote lifelong academic excellence and provide a powerful foundation for future learning.

IBDP is a demanding pre-university course designed for highly motivated students. The programme has earned a reputation for its rigorous and consistent assessment, which gives IB Diploma holders access to the world’s leading universities. Like IGCSE, this course of study aims to develop an excellent breadth and depth of knowledge, while encouraging students to flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically. The IBDP

grading system is criterion-referenced, which means that each student’s performance is measured against well-defined levels of achievement. These are consistent from one examination session to the next and are applied equally to all schools in more than 100 countries throughout the world. In addition to academic skills, the assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural appreciation, wherever appropriate.

At GIIS, prospective students are invited to attend pre-IB Diploma orientation prior to the commencement of the new academic year to familiarise themselves with the pedagogic approaches and tools applicable to the curriculum. By being completely transparent with students about the demands of IBDP, students can choose whether or not the programme is best suited for them with the knowledge and clear understanding of the course’s expectations, as well as its potential payoff. Amitesh Sivaraman, who took the IBDP examinations in 2016, noted that “The learning process demands active participation from students, which helps to clarify concepts and foster a real interest in the subject.” This active and supportive approach at GIIS worked for Amitesh, who achieved a perfect score of 45/45 for the examination.

The holistic approach at GIIS campuses means that every student’s coursework helps prepare them for placement at a top university. GIIS Queenstown Campus students who have chosen to pursue CBSE in lieu of IBDP have also done extremely well for themselves, and are now representing GIIS in international universities worldwide. In 2015, GIIS was delighted to celebrate the many prestigious placements of its students, including acceptance at the University of Oxford (ranked 5th worldwide), and scholarships to institutions like Hong Kong University.

It is not just the choice in scholastic programmes that makes GIIS stand out as an institution. GIIS truly supports students in providing all sorts of resources at students’ disposal to ensure their academic preparation takes them as far as possible. Rasika Kale from GIIS Queenstown Campus agreed with the dedication and commitment GIIS shows. “The credit of my success goes to my teachers, parents and the school. My parents motivated me and my teachers made sure that I was well-prepared,” she said.

Studying international curricula in a supportive secondary school environment allows students to mentally and emotionally prepare for the diligences of international learning at the university level. GIIS is proud to offer these opportunities to our talented and motivated students, who we consider as some of the brightest stars moving through the expansive universe of learning.

How GIIS’ INTERNaTIoNal CuRRICula PREPaRES STuDENTS FoR THE CHallENGES oF uNIVERSITY aND bEYoNDthrouGh prepArAtion ComeS outStAnDinG reSultS

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While mankind is progressing quickly with great advancements in technology, it is slowly killing the earth. The earth is gradually being polluted by greenhouse gases and toxic waste material released by factories that are pumped into the atmosphere and water bodies. All of these increase the rate of global warming, which can lead to mass flooding, changes in the timing of seasonal events (for example, earlier flowering ofplants), and detrimental destruction to natural habitats of many wildlife.

Such problems are examined by the students at GIIS on a regular basis. The students work together to come up with simple solutions to solve these problems with their innovative initiatives to save the world.

Our activities centres around caring for the earth, such as planting saplings, preparing compost, and recycling products in our daily lives. Planting saplings on the school grounds is important to us, as we understand that plants are an important source of oxygen for living beings.

The Green Initiative is our way of reducing pollution in the world. We believe that if everyone were to take similar steps as us, it will greatly reduce the harmful effects of global warming. We are working hard to promote such a stance to the other schools, states, and even other countries, so that we can all take on a more active role in saving our world.

Shruti M and Meghna P, Class 8, GIIS Bengaluru Campus, India

bECauSE THE woRlD MaTTERS…

THE GREEN INITIaTIVE

Protecting the earth, raising awareness and conservation efforts are not hobbies for GIIS students – they are habits. Here is a glimpse of various student-led initiatives done throughout the year from GIIS campuses all over the world:

The Green Initiative is our way of reducing pollution in the world. We believe that if everyone were to take similar steps as us, it will greatly reduce the harmful effects of global warming.

environment

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“No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change,” said US President Barack Obama. At GIIS Tokyo Campus, we thank the earth for everything it has given us during Earth Day celebrations. We are also taught to care for the betterment of earth and raise awareness to care for the planet. We ask ourselves this important question each year: “Will it still be possible to celebrate Earth Day a few years from now?”

We normally envision the earth to be a green environment thriving with a biodiverse range of plants and animals, and humans living together in harmony. However, the reality is that our blue planet is dying a slow death as we contaminate precious natural resources and destroy the earth with excessive deforestation.

Global warming can devastatingly affect water availability, food production, land usage, health, world economies and ecosystems. These effects will severely impact all of us if ignored.

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. We are all too keen to push the blame to others in the decay of earth but we have to step up and realise that delaying action is causing us to lose precious time in this global race to halt climate change.

At GIIS Tokyo Campus, we have taken on a number of green initiatives. In

I am the Assistant Green Captain of the Green Club in the primary school. The idea of creating a mural was first conceived back in April 2016. In the Green Club Co-Curricular Activity (CCA), we had many discussions on how to make this idea a reality. We wanted to paint a mural that depicted human values, such as peace, internationalism, responsibility, and understanding. As part of our green efforts, we had come up with a school-wide effort to collect bottle caps by making announcements during assemblies. The bottle caps were collected from May to August 2016. During this time, we held discussions on how we might reuse the bottle caps in a constructive way to showcase the values of our Green Club. One of our parent volunteers, Ms Anita Bornshin, Mother of Collin Bright of Class 3, came up with the idea to use the bottle caps for the mural.

We coloured the collected bottle caps in different shades of green and layered the bottle caps for a 3D effect. We wanted to show how life revolves around the tree to show biodiversity as well. We used recycled paper and junk waste to make butterflies and an owl for the mural as well. The MAHATMA Core Values were also included in the mural at the roots to show that through rootedness in these values, we are able to extend, grow and branch out into humanity like a tree. The mural is now proudly displayed for all to see at the primary school campus.

VeenaLahari Venkatesh, Class 9, GIIS Tokyo Campus, Japan

bottle cap projectRishit Kaura, Class 5, GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

TIME FoR CHaNGETREE oF ValuES

Global warming can devastatingly affect water availability, food production, land usage, health, world economies and ecosystems. These effects will severely impact all of us if ignored.

environment

classrooms, we have a policy of sorting waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable categories. Activities are also organised to clean and maintain neighbourhoods, including parks. We strive to avoid wasting resources like electricity. Just like Rabindranath Tagore’s idea of Shantiniketan, we are taught to be one with nature. Now and then, we get to enjoy lessons under the shade of a tree. We also try to plant as many trees as we can.

We must all make the effort to make our world a cleaner, greener and better place to live in. The story of mankind and our relationship with earth may be seen as a continuing adventure or a tragedy waiting to happen. The choice is ours to make.

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“TRY NoT To bECoME a MaN oF SuCCESS,

buT RaTHER TRY To bECoME a MaN oF ValuE”

– albert Einstein

Ib DIPloMa RESulTS

GIIS’ class of 2016 has created history with the school achieving two IB World Toppers and four near-perfect scorers. This year, Amitesh Sivaraman and Rasika Kale topped the world with their perfect scores of 45 points, while Aarushi Khandelwal, Revvand Rajesh, Sundeep Veluchamy and Sibiranjith Nagesth securing a near-perfect score of 44 out of 45 points.

Overall, the cohort achieved excellent results, with 31% of the students securing 40 points and above. The school’s average stands at an impressive 37 points, which is an incredible 22.5% higher than the world average. The cohort also performed extremely well in individual subjects. 100% of students in History HL and 91% of students in Tamil SL scored seven grade points. In the extended essay section, 100% of students scored an A grade in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics, and 94% of students scored an A grade in Hindi.

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SCHool ToPPERS 2016

45/45

44/45

43/45

42/45

41/45

40/45

Amitesh S. J.

Aarushi K.

Anuja S.

Aditi G.

Aayushi H.

Soma A

Rasika K.

Revvand R.

Anuraj S. R.

Aniruddh A.

Archana P.

Adithya P S

Sibiranjith N.

Meghna R.

Sriniketh S.

Gauthama B.

Rishi M.

Sundeep V.

Swapnil D.

Raajsre S. A.

Tanya R.

Parimal C.

Vishara P.

Sai A. K.

Sai A. K.

Chanda Sachin

Akshai V.

Mukund N.

Ananth S. A.

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CbSE CLASS 12 SCHool RESulTS

GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia

Students of Class 12 at GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia did the school proud in the recent CBSE AISSCE examinations of March 2016.

Kevin Jatin Shah topped the school with a score of 92.4%, with Siddhant Bhatia coming in at a close second of 91.8%. Overall, the school gained an average score of 78%. Students also scored outstandingly well in the subjects of English and Psychology, scoring an average of 90.8% and 90% respectively.

Spotlight

Kevin Jatin Shah

Nandita Raajkumar

Siddhant Bhatia

Bhavani Ponnurangam

Pallak Srivastava

A.R. Kishore

Ashwin Nachiappan Sevugan

ToP 7 SCoRERS

92.4%

87.4%

91.8%

87.4%

91%

86.2%

91%

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CbSE CLASS 12 SCHool RESulTS

Spotlight

GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

The Class 12 batch of 2016 from GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore has set new records in the CBSE Class 12 Board Examinations conducted in March 2016.

Anushka Gaikwad topped not just the school but was also ranked first in the ASEAN and Middle East region with a score of 98.2% or 491 out of 500 marks. This is the highest score achieved by a GIIS student in the CBSE Class 12 examination. Second place at GIIS Queenstown Campus went to Shubham Saraf, who earned a respectable score of 98%.

This year, nearly half (48%) of the students secured an overall score of 90% and above, with 25% of the student cohort securing a 95% and above. This year also saw students achieving perfect scores of 100 marks in Physics and Chemistry, followed by near-perfect scores of 99 marks in Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science.

Anushka Gaikwad(ASEAN and Middle East

Region Topper)

Priyank Sharma

Shubham Saraf

Harsh Mahajan

Shantanu Modak

ToP 5 SCoRERS

98.2%

96.8%

98%

96.6%

97%

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IGCSE CLASS 10 SCHool RESulTS

GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia

Students at GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus did the school proud at this year’s IGCSE Examinations.

This year, more than 52% of students scored either an A* or A, with 100% passes in Additional Mathematics, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, English, Bahasa Melayu, History, ICT, Mathematics without coursework and Physics. This year also saw high average scores in History (92%), Economics (90%), Biology (89%), and Bahasa Melayu (87%).

First Row (L-R): Jaskeerat Singh Gill, Dave Singh Gendeh, Ramasworupha Nair, Mohamed Sharizan Bin Mohamed Iqbal , Suyash SamberkarSecond Row (L-R): Mahima Bakhtani, Aakash Raj Karunakaran, Wan elis Regina Wan Ahmad

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SCHool ToPPERS

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IGCSE CLASS 10 SCHool RESulTS

Spotlight

GIIS Queenstown Campus, SingaporeGIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Students from GIIS Queenstown and East Coast campuses have achieved excellent results in the IGCSE Class 10 examinations in 2016.100% of students from both campuses secured an ICE Distinction or Merit, while nearly 60% of students from GIIS Queenstown Campus scored an overall grade of A*. 100% of students also secured an A* in Extended Mathematics in the examination.

In addition, nine students received the ‘Cambridge Top in the World Award’ in Additional Mathematics, Mathematics without coursework, and Hindi as a second language. At GIIS Queenstown Campus, 100% of students scored A* or A grades in Additional Mathematics and Global Perspectives, and 100% of students achieved an A* grade in Mathematics without coursework. At GIIS East Coast Campus, 100% of students secured A* or A grade in Tamil and 91% of students secured A* or A grades in Additional Mathematics.

SubJECT woRlD ToPPERS

GIIS QuEENSTowN CaMPuS PERFECT SCoRERS

GIIS EaST CoaST CaMPuS PERFECT SCoRER

Iyer Kartik Shridhar Additional Mathematics, Biology and Computer Science Rachana Murali Narayanan Additional Mathematics Akshara Sankar Tamil Ishan Mittal Mathematics without courseworkAsmita Raja Hindi as a second language Anushka Avinash Kulkarni Hindi as a second language Durga R Manaswini Hindi as a second language Akshay Sunil Kumar Mathematics without coursework Pranati Rajagopal Mathematics without courseworkAnanya Joshi Mathematics without coursework

Rachana Murali Narayan 9A*s Durga R Manaswini 9A*s R Sandhya 9A* Urvi Jain 9A*s Pranav Venkatram 9A*s Ishan Mittal 8A*s Swetha Rajagopalan 8A*s Abhiman Yadav 8A*s Aishwarya Varanasi 8A*s Bhaadni Simran 8A*s

Vidhyabharathi Somasundaram 9A*s

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CbSE CLASS 10 SCHool RESulTS

GIIS Chinchwad Campus

The Class 10 batch of 2016 has added a feather in the cap for GIIS Chinchwad Campus by achieving academic excellence in this year’s CBSE examinations.

GIIS Tokyo Campus

Students at GIIS Tokyo Campus proved their mettle yet again with outstanding results at the Class 10 CBSE examinations.

The school stands tall with pride with 40% of students receiving a perfect score of CGPA 10 and the entire batch qualifying with 100% distinction.

Excellence is achieved through an innovative education delivery system coupled with the overall growth of the students. The proprietary 9 GemsTM holistic learning framework is an integration of best practices in education from across the globe. It is measured with metrics and monitored consistently to enhance scores on an average of 10-15%, thereby achieving maximum learning outcomes in every student.

This year, the students have achieved a remarkable school average of CGPA 9.65. 57% of students scored a perfect CGPA 10, and 85.71% of students scored Grades A1 and A2. Overall, students did very well in individual subjects, with 100% of students scoring a GPA 9 and above in English, Japanese and Hindi, and 85.71% of students scoring a GPA 9 and above in Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

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CbSE CLASS 10 SCHool RESulTS

GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia

Students of GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus have brought laurels to the school by excelling in the Class 10 CBSE-i examinations held in March 2016.

The students did a great job this year with 40% of students scoring a perfect CGPA of 10. This year’s school average is at a CGPA of 9.2, a new record for GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campers. Also, 74% of students scored Grades A1 and A2. Language was a strong suit for students, with 100% of students securing a GPA 9 or above in Tamil and Sanskrit, and 92% of students securing a GPA 9 or above in Hindi.

PERFECT SCoRERS (CGPa 10)Prathik Balachandran Shreja Saha Rahul Dilipkumar Thaker Sukriti Sharma S Aravind Raj Swati Suchismita Sethi Shaurya Gautam Varun Kenadath Shivvanand Velan Ram Venkata Sai Abhinav Rahul Gandrakota Yokeesh S Aakanksha Ashok Kumar Abhinav Jayaprakash Akanksha Sur Aditi Anand Bhatt Elisa Roy Mannat Bhardwaj Mihika Sunilkumar Yadav Neha Dagade Pavithra Ananthram

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CbSE CLASS 10 SCHool RESulTS

Students did the school proud with their impressive scores. 96% of students scored a CGPA of 9.2, with 65% of students acing the examinations by achieving a perfect CGPA of 10. This brought the school average CGPA to an astounding 9.8.

Students scored well in individual subjects as well. 100% of students scored GPA 10 in Mathematics (Elective) and French, and 92% scored GPA 10 in Hindi. 100% of students also scored a GPA of 9 or higher in English, Mathematics (Core), Science, Tamil, and ICT.

GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

New records have been set in GIIS East Coast Campus at the recent Class 10 CBSE-i examinations held in March 2016.

PERFECT SCoRERS (CGPa 10) Anirudh Garladinne Aparna Sajit Arvind Ramanathan Arya Krishnan Dhacksha Harikrishnan Chalapathy Anirudh Khush Patel Kolli Harshitha Manasi Vijay Bhujbal Mukund Raja Sudalaimuthu Ponkshe Rohit Pramod Rahul Arvind Rahul Parthasarathy Sidharth Praveenkumar Vanessa Vaz

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The Class 10 batch set new benchmarks by scoring outstanding school average scores, and set records with the highest percentage of students scoring a perfect CGPA 10 in both CBSE (National) and CBSE-i examinations

In the CBSE (National) examinations, more than half (53.23%) of the batch scored a perfect CGPA 10. Overall, the current batch of students scored an outstanding CGPA of 9.58, and 79% of students scored Grades A1 and A2. Students scored superbly in individual subjects as well. 100% of students scored a GPA 9 and above in Tamil and French.

For the CBSE-i examinations, more than 70% of students scored a perfect CGPA of 10, the highest ever percentage of students to achieve this at GIIS Queenstown Campus. The entire cohort performed well with an excellent overall average CGPA of 9.7. Nearly 93% of students also scored Grades A1 and A2. Students also fared well in individual subjects, with 100% of students scoring a GPA 9 and above in Hindi. 93% of students also scored a GPA 9 and above in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and ICT.

GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

Students from GIIS Queenstown Campus outpaced their peers in the Class 10 CBSE (National) and CBSE-i examinations in 2016.

PERFECT SCoRERS (CGPa 10) FoR CbSE (NaTIoNal)

PERFECT SCoRERS (CGPa 10) FoR CbSE-i

Ajay Mittur Akshay Mittur Akshiti Singh Anjali Premi Avinash Natarajan Chaitrika G Nandana MenonNeil Shah Poulina Ghosh Prachi Nivgane Anjaly Sarah V Shipra S Siddharth Singh Sudevi Gupta Swapnil Sapre Advait Thakur Anita Michael Anudit Nagar Kishor Kumar Kaushal Shastri Manini Agarwal Chavi Sahai Mithra Manikandan Neeraja Menon Neha Jayachandran Pranjal Anand Rahul Bhattacharjee Ritodeep Ray Shyam Ganesh Yash Kulkarni Vishnu Sundaresan Anuhya E Arya Nagar

Aaron Dominic Joseph Murzello Dhamini Chelladurai Jessica Murari Muskaan Manish Garg Pranitha Murali Shruti Mishra Siddhanth Biswas Sonakshi Karuppasami Swetha Chandrasekar Yuhalakshmi A

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At MGCUV, we infuse the ideologies of great leader Mahatma Gandhi for an all-round development of everything a person can be, thereby letting our students bloom to their full potential.

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

“A man is but the product of his thoughts.What he thinks, he becomes.”

www.globalindianschool.org

- Mahatma Gandhi

“SuCCESS ISN’T abouT How MuCH MoNEY You MakE,

IT’S abouT THE DIFFERENCE You MakE IN PEoPlE’S lIVES”

– Michelle obama

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Integration of technology in education is definitely an advantage for students. Technology advances education to a higher level and also supplies students with several facilities. For example, e-learning, where children are able to remotely attend classes through the internet. Technology also allows students to research information themselves, and even opens up channels of communication among their peers and their teachers for them to clarify any doubts on material taught quite immediately.

As with every debate, there are two sides to a coin and technology can also be a distraction in many cases. For instance, smartphone addiction is a well-researched disorder that plagues many students. The addiction can greatly affect their studies and their daily lives to a greater extent. The integration of technology is necessary but students should only use it when needed.

Students require a strong knowledge of computer technology and computing to be globally competitive in today’s economy. There are advantages to integrating technology, such as independent learning for students, and teachers making use of softwares to create visual illustrations and presentations to aid in teaching. Technology in education has been designed to make learning easier and much quicker.

But there are still disadvantages with using technology in an educational institution, mainly when students use it for personal reasons while a class is going on. One major concern is the accessibility of unsuitable and unedifying materials to students. Students may also be unfamiliar with proper cybersecurity and internet privacy and may leak personal information to strangers, thereby endangering their lives.

Overall, technology is a great tool for teaching but parents and teachers must ensure that children are supervised when using it.

Today, the world is looking at a “flipped” classroom: students are collaborating and sharing their projects and class work through Google. In such an age to keep up the pace with the fast developing world, I believe this is an ideal opportunity for students to develop their classroom learning around technology use. What they might learn from the widespread integration of ICT (information, communication & technology) into education and the extensive associated research is immense. Technology offers special opportunities, allowing students to connect more efficiently to the rest of the world. What we need is to educate our children in making an effort in discerning necessary information available from the rest of the junk that pops up on the screen. There is a need to train students to overcome such barriers so that they can become successful adopters of technology. Responsible technology enhances learning opportunities.

DNYaNDa kulkaRNI CLASS 9, GIIS TOkYO CAMpuS, JApAn

MS SuNITa kaSHYaP HEAd Of dEpArTMEnT (SCIEnCE), GIIS TOkYO CAMpuS, JApAn

MS aNITa NaRaYaNTEACHEr, GIIS BALESTIEr CAMpuS, SInGApOrE

IS THE INTEGRaTIoN oF TECHNoloGY IN EDuCaTIoN a DISTRaCTIoN oR aN aDVaNTaGE FoR STuDENTS?

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voices

From the beginning of time, learning and education have always relied on innovation and creativity to make students learn, imbibe and use knowledge imparted to them. Techniques have ranged from stories to charts, models and experiments to kindle a student’s curiosity and imagination. Today, students have been exposed to more technology and are therefore more familiar and instinctively fascinated by it. It is only natural then that today’s learning is technologically rich. The integration of visual, audio and kinesthetic technologies not only makes learning an enjoyable experience, it also allows learning to be customised for the individual. Integration of technology in education is an invaluable asset to the student community.

With the world moving businesses to the ‘cloud’, where everything in the backend is connected and shared through an online database, it is inevitable that we include the use of technology in the field of education. With the help of audiovisuals and animation, complex topics can be made interesting and can help students understand material better, as compared to learning through the traditional blackboard method of teaching. Also, e-assignments, like making presentations, not only enhances the creativity of students, it also makes them future-ready to enter the professional world. Inarguably, the internet comes with a shady side as well but with technological advances, stringent controls can be applied and help kids take on its full advantages.

The integration of technology in education is not a distraction in class because it keeps students attentive and energetic instead of feeling bored. Using technology in the classroom has a number of other advantages: students are more likely to pay attention to tablets for its multimedia presentations, as these use a mix of graphics, animations and other tools to keep learning interesting. Technology can also enhance teaching methods. Instead of spending a lot of time on creating study aids from scratch, teachers can search the web for projects and assignments done by other schools on similar topics to teach and test information in new ways. Is it also not conflicting that we cut trees for paper to educate students about not cutting trees? E-learning uses no paper, whatsoever!

MS aMbIlI SuRESH MOTHEr Of ESHAnA SurESH (CLASS 4), GIIS BALESTIEr CAMpuS, SInGApOrE

PIYa SaRaH kuRIaN CLASS 8, GIIS BEnGALuru CAMpuS, IndIA

aNuRaG THakuR CLASS 5, GIIS BALESTIEr CAMpuS, SInGApOrE

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Modern day education should not just be focused on simple learning concepts or facts, as these are laid out in a curriculum. Instead, there should be an emphasis on the process of building connections. As a result, students can gain an awareness of the importance and value of communication. Today, with a single laptop, webcam, projector, and internet connection, a teacher can broadcast and begin collaborations with any other classroom all across the world. As groups of learners coalesce around shared passions online, they experience something that is difficult to replicate in an offline physical space.

Ms Priyashri Dubev Teacher, GIIS Indore campuS, IndIa

Technology is a double-edged sword; it is both boon and bane. There are no doubt many advantages to using technology in the classroom but there are roadblocks we have to address. Teachers have to be trained in using such technology, and schools have to continuously upgrade technology that often require frequent maintenance. Another problem is plagiarism; students can easily copy published material found on the internet instead of producing original content. Thankfully, there is software available that can check for plagiarism. But despite these problems, the integration of technology in education is the need of the hour and it cannot be ignored. It just has to be better implemented to improve learning in students.

The integration of technology has served as a big facilitator for both teachers and students in today’s world. At a pre-primary/primary level, the multimedia tools available today immensely help in explaining things to young children in an accurate and very interesting manner. A good teacher can even download content from anywhere in the world that students can also access almost immediately. However, it must be noted that integration of technology is only beneficial when used with a productive intention. Parents/teachers have a huge monitoring role to play here as a high dependency on technology can very easily distract these young minds.

Dr arati swarooP moTher of amrITanIalI Swaroop (claSS 10), GIIS SuraT campuS, IndIa

Ms rashMi rooPal JuMar moTher of Samaa Kumar (claSS 1), GIIS ahmedaBad campuS, IndIa

Integrating technology will only come after we make technology available and accessible to all. When students are able to choose and use technology tools to help themselves obtain and analyse information and present it in an acceptable manner, only then has true technology integration taken place. Integrating a curriculum with technology involves making technology into a tool to enhance learning in a content area or multidisciplinary setting. Teaching will not be replaced by technology but teachers who don’t use technology will be replaced by those who do.

Mr hirnav Patel faTher of TanISh (claSS 8) & VrIShIn (claSS 1), GIIS ahmedaBad campuS, IndIa

Technology is a crucial tool that children use to productively carry out ideas, acquire knowledge skills and solve problems. Technology is both customisable and intrinsically motivating for children; it is compatible in expanding the learning experience. Research on the effectiveness of technology has so far mostly focused on higher education but there is research that also suggests that uses of specific technology can improve the learning capabilities of students of all grades as well.

Ms Parul PaPreia Teacher, GIIS noIda campuS, IndIa

Technology integration is defined as the use of technology to enhance and support the educational environment. But there is one question that comes to mind with this topic: Is it necessarily useful or important to have technology in a student’s life? I believe it is so. Using a computer, tablet, or any other smart device, encourages self-directed learning and creates an active participant in the learning process, rather than passive learning found in a lecture environment. Interactive lesson plans can also help turn boring conceptual subjects, like math, into fun, engaging and educational activities for students. Technology has no boundaries and now is the time for us to be on par with other countries who have long implemented the use of technology in the classroom.

JitenDra D ChouDhary claSS 10, GIIS SuraT campuS, IndIa

Voices

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Using technology in education allows you to experiment more in pedagogy. It also prepares students for the future. It is without question that students will need to know how to use technology to communicate and collaborate in their future careers. Technology lends itself to exploration. But before technology can be used effectively, exploration must be valued as important to both teachers and students. In a technology-rich classroom, students might search the web for information, chart and analyse results and record what they have learned on the computer. It increases student engagement and motivation. Virtual classrooms and even field trips, smart and digital classrooms, and collaborative learning are areas of interest to students.

Using technology in the classroom has many advantages. Because of the internet, students now have a rich source of knowledge at their fingertips and can include many more details about a topic than what is taught from a textbook. The internet also offers a wealth of knowledge resources to assist in the way students learn. There are plenty of programmes that can be downloaded or used online to help students enhance their reading, writing, researching, and language skills among many others. Technology has given birth to a global classroom, as teachers can even take students on a virtual trip to other parts of the world and interact with other classrooms overseas. Integrating technology in education helps students to stay engaged, as many, if not all, are familiar with and more accustomed to getting their information from various multimedia sources online. Technology integration also prepares students for the future, as just about every job uses at least one form of technology.

aTHaRaYa DESaI CLASS 9, GIIS IndOrE CAMpuS, IndIA

G kaRaN THEVaR CLASS 9, GIIS IndOrE CAMpuS, IndIA

The use of technology in the classroom has been a matter of debate for the past couple of decades. Parents, teachers, policy makers, and students alike have weighed and argued the potential benefits versus the risks and consequences of classroom technology. Technology can provide a high-end environment and interactive learning experience to students. Technology in education plays a crucial role in enhancing the skills and knowledge of people across the globe. By embracing and integrating technology in the classroom, we are setting our students up for a successful life outside school. However, it’s important to note that traditional teaching is just as essential because technology adds value, while traditional teaching forms the foundation of education.

MR SauRabH MaTHuR fATHEr Of kAnISHk MATHur (kG 1), GIIS AHMEdABAd CAMpuS, IndIA

voices

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ouR MIlESToNES

2002First campus opens at Mount Sophia

Global Indian Cultural Centre opens to provide education in Indian Fine Arts, Music, Dance & Drama

2004School relocates Singapore headquarters to Queenstown at 1 Mei Chin Road

2005School selected by Singapore’s Economic Development Board as the first school under Global Schoolhouse project

2006School renamed ‘Global Indian International School’ in a re-branding exercise

GIIS opens second campus in Singapore at East Coast at 82 Cheviot Hill and commences operations with schools in Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur

2008GIIS opens Global Centre for Education Excellence (GCEE)

GIIS expands operations in Singapore with third campus in Balestier at Jalan Rajah, first in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, and second campus in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur

2007GIIS opens second campus in Japan in Kofu, first in Bangkok, Thailand and in Tilakwada, Gujarat, India

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2009GIIS expands operations in India with new campuses in Nagpur and Hyderabad

2011GIIS expands operations in India with new campuses in Pune and Surat

2013GIIS commences operations in Bangalore, India

2010GIIS adds one campus each in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Hyderabad, India

2012GIIS commences operations in Noida and Indore in India

2014GIIS commences operations in Ahmedabad, India and unveils new campus building in Tokyo, Japan

2015New GIIS Abu Dhabi Campus opens in UAE

Global Schools Foundation acquires One World International School (OWIS) in Singapore

2016GIIS embarks on its 15th year

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Going hand-in-hand with heritageTo learn and embrace the rich cultural heritage of the Indian sub-continent, GICC

provides an ideal environment for diverse communities to enrich in South East Asia

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

[email protected] (+65) 6318 9530

eDUCAtION exCeLLeNCe

“THE DREaMS I CHaSED Took ME oN a JouRNEY,

a JouRNEY MoRE REwaRDING THaN THE GoalS”

– Shahrukh khan

Going hand-in-hand with heritageTo learn and embrace the rich cultural heritage of the Indian sub-continent, GICC

provides an ideal environment for diverse communities to enrich in South East Asia

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

[email protected] (+65) 6318 9530 77

Top 4 finalist - Runner-up at 4th Global Benchmarking Award 2015 GIIS in Singapore

Qualifier - Assessed as a Top 23 Best Practice at 4th International Best Practice Competition 2015 GIIS in Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award World Class 2015 - GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore - GIIS Balestier Campus, SingaporeGlobal Performance Excellence Award Best in Class 2015 GIIS East Coast Campus, SingaporeTeam Excellence Exchange Contest Encouragement Prize for Quality Circle presentation at Team Excellence Exchange Contest 2015 at 21st Asia Pacific Quality Conference for Quality Circle: PEACE Ambassadors GIIS in SingaporeTeam Excellence Exchange Contest Third Prize at 21st Asia Pacific Quality Conference for Quality Circle: SMILE to Excellence to inspear GIIS in Singapore

Golden Peacock Innovative Product / Service Award 2015 GIIS in Singapore

Making Quality Happen (MQH) Best Practices Competition 2015 Winner GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Awards

wINNER oF SIxTY-FIVE (65) NaTIoNal aND INTERNaTIoNal awaRDS FoR INNoVaTIoN aND ExCEllENCE IN SCHool EDuCaTIoN | 2008 – 2016

EDUCATION ExCELLENCE AwARDS

2016 2015

Global Performance Excellence Award World Class 2016- GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore - GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Best in Class 2016- GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore- Kuala Lumpur Campus,Malaysia

MQH Best Practices Competition 2016 (Winner: Overseas Category), IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award TrustGIIS in Malaysia

World Education Award 2016 from Elets Technomedia - for Pro-active Initiative in Educationsupported under Corporate Social Responsibility GIIS in Singapore- for Impelling Innovations in Teaching Pedagogy GIIS in Malaysia- for Global Collaborative Learning Initiative GIIS in Malaysia

Golden Peacock Innovative Product/Service Award 2016GIIS in Singapore

Golden Peacock Innovative Management Award 2016GIIS in Singapore

Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards 2016GIIS in Singapore

IMC RBNQA Performance Excellence Trophy 2015 GIIS in Malaysia

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IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award 2014GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

3 Stars awarded for Student Quality Circle (SQC) presentation: “An Enemy called Average” at Team Excellence Competition 2014 – 20th Asia Pacific Quality ConferenceGIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

2 Stars awarded for Student Quality Circle (SQC) presentation: “Challenges in Facing The Real World” at Team Excellence Competition 2014 – 20th Asia Pacific Quality ConferenceGIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia

Singapore Quality Class Star 2014GIIS in Singapore

Special Commendation for Golden Peacock Innovation Management Award 2014GIIS in Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award World Class 2014 - GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore - GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Best in Class 2014 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Golden Peacock Innovative Product / Service Award 2014GIIS in Singapore

Awards

2014 2013 2012

IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award Performance Excellence 2013 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

2nd Global Benchmarking Award 2013 Finalist GIIS in Singapore

2nd International Best Practice Competition 2013 Top Four Finalist and Runner-Up GIIS in Singapore

Golden Peacock HR Excellence Award 2013 GIIS in Singapore

Golden Peacock Eco-Innovation Award 2013 GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award World Class 2013 GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Best in Class 2013 GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Quest for Excellence 2013 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Special Commendation for Golden Peacock Business Excellence Award 2013GIIS in Singapore

IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award Trophy 2012 GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore Golden Peacock Innovative Product / Service Award 2012GIIS in Singapore

Singapore Quality Class Star 2012 - GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore- GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award World Class 2012 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Best in Class 2012GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Quest for Excellence 2012 GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

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2011 2010 2009

2008

awards won by Management Members

APQO President’s Award of Excellence 2015Mr Atul Temurnikar

APQO’s Walter L. Hurd Executive Medal 2014Mr Atul Temurnikar

APQO’s Walter L. Hurd Executive Medal 2014Mr B G Shenoy

Distinguished Fellow of Institute of Directors 2014Mr Atul Temurnikar

APQO President’s Award of Excellence 2012Mr B G Shenoy

Singapore Quality ClassStar 2010 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award 2010 GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award 2010 Global Indian Foundation

International Asia Performance Quality Award Best in Class 2010GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia

IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award Performance Excellence Trophy 2011 GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award World Class 2011 GIIS Queenstown Campus, SingaporeGlobal Performance Excellence Award Best in Class 2011GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Global Performance Excellence Award Quest for Excellence 2011 GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore

Singapore Quality Class 2011 - GIIS Balestier Campus, Singapore- GIIS Queenstown Campus, Singapore

Industry Excellence Award 2009 GIIS Kuala Lumpur Campus, Malaysia

International Asia Performance Quality Award Best in Class 2009 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

Singapore Quality Class 2008 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award Performance Excellence 2008 GIIS East Coast Campus, Singapore

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SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN UAE THAILAND INDIA VIETNAM

Sports, Health &Fitness Excellence

CommunityConnection

Care & Conserve

Academic Excellence,Collaborative & Project

Based Learning

Entrepreneurship& LeadershipDevelopment

Creativity,Innovation

& Problem Solving

Universal Values,Ethics & Discipline

Life Skills, Career& Vocational

Competencies

Digital & Visual Arts

At Global Indian International School (GIIS), we educate beyond books to ensure that each student

blooms into a wholesome personality. The Nine-Gems framework, a proprietary tool, is an integrated holistic

approach to learning. Through this framework, students are cultivated to be global citizens.

TM

The perfect blend of Intelligence and Characterwith world-class academics and multi-dimensional skills

GIIS Campuses OfferIB Diploma Programme (IBDP) | Cambridge IGCSE | CBSE | CBSE-i | Global Montessori Plus (GMP) Programme

[email protected] www.globalindianschool.org

PersonalityDevelopment,

Speech & Drama

Global Indian International School | CPE Reg No: 200912349N | Validity: 25 Feb 2015 to 24 Feb 2019

www.globalindianschool.org

© Copyright Global Schools Foundation 2016

www.owis.org

[email protected] [email protected]