by Khalida Lockheed | Jul 6, 2020
Internal Assessments in the time of COVID
While most other students have been enjoying vacation from online schooling, our IB students have been working diligently to complete those famous IB Internal Assessment (IA) tasks for each of the 6 courses, including a TOK essay and the 4000 word Extended Essay. We have been very impressed with the high quality work being done by our students, their dedication and commitment. Our 11th grade IB cohort have only just begun this process, but are taking advantage of the online learning context to get a jump start on their IAs. 12th graders, on the other hand, are catching up, polishing and finishing up, spending hours every day in intensives with their teachers and then spending more hours working independently! They are truly making us all very proud.
This year, in particular, puts extra pressure on completing high quality IAs due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the possibility of cancelled exams. The IAs will no longer be moderated externally by the IB but will, in fact, be marked externally by the IB. Basically, what this means is that these tasks which perviously were graded by our teachers according to the standards of IB will now be graded by the IB examiners themselves wherever in the world they might be!
Reved up for External Assessments
At the close of the vacation period, 12th graders will shift their focus from completing IAs to preparing for external exams. These external exams will take place in November over the course of three weeks and are synchronous globally to all IB students taking exams in November. To help students prepare for these long written exams, we will be holding mock exams at the end of July. These mock exams will help students become familiarized with the procedure and process of the IB exams and will make visible to both student and teacher alike any areas of content needing extra study and attention.
We applaud our hardworking IB students (Shout Out!) and give our profound gratitude to our hardworking IB teachers for their dedication! IB absurdly proud.
by Lural Ramirez | May 6, 2020
As schools around the world transitioned to distance learning models in response to the novel Coronavirus pandemic, there have been milestones and moments that have been key, and as reported by the World Economic Forum on April 22, 2020, we have seen unprecedented global cooperation in response to the suffering and social-distancing efforts.
As the virus made its way to Latin America, Futuro Verde was weeks, and in some aspects years, ahead in our preparation for this required shift to online learning. The timeline below details our school’s response to this crisis and our preparedness efforts.
2014, over a period of months
Futuro Verde webmaster Khalida Lockheed spearheaded our application to Google to become a “Google For Education” school. Our application was accepted, giving us free, unlimited access to domain-specific @futuro-verde.org emails, Google For Education Apps like Gmail, Classroom, and the like. This step allowed all Futuro Verde board members, staff and students to have Futuro Verde emails and a controlled and safe shared domain for our IT needs.
How did this help us during the pandemic? All staff and students were already united under a common domain, which facilitated both more complex and collaborative online processes as well as an assurance that email server filters follow our students’ safeguarding protocols and policies.
2015, over a period of months
Futuro Verde webmaster Khalida Lockheed, in her dual role as webmaster and design manager, shifted our www.futuro-verde.org website to a content management system (WordPress), allowing for greater flexibility and collaboration.
How did this help us during the pandemic? Having the ability to quickly and easily link students and families to all of our online learning tools and resources aided in a smooth transition into a full online learning mode.
2016 school year
Secondary teachers began implementing the Google for Education Classroom app with more consistency starting in 2016. Students in upper secondary grades had become accustomed to having a parallel online platform which was initially used to document assignments and projects and to digitally receive student work for projects assigned.
This year as well, some preschool and primary teachers began to experiment with the Seesaw Platform, used then as a supplemental family communication tool.
How did this help us during the pandemic? As we shifted to online learning, Classroom and Seesaw became our main platforms for student online, at-home engagement and work. Our previous experience with both platforms made this new leap to larger use volume much more manageable and smooth.
2017-2019 school years
As Futuro Verde grew, we were able to acquire much needed, full-time support in IT and we began to purchase and systematically use several key databases, tools and programs that support student learning. Specifically, we acquired: Turnitin, a similarity detection tool to help students learn how not to plagiarize their work; EBSCO a database of reliable sources for information across a myriad of subjects and grade levels; Reading A to Z, a platform that provides independent level reading support for our pre-k and primary students; and IXL, a license we purchased for school-wide use to reinforce our students’ math abilities through an online platform personalized to their current needs and abilities and updated continually to meet their needs.
Additionally, from an administrative perspective, we purchased a school Zooom pro account in order to facilitate the confirmation of strategic university, governmental and private partnerships to benefit our students. And, perhaps most importantly, in 2019 we became a PTC member school.
How did this help us during the pandemic? Futuro Verde’s databases, tools and programs have been pillars in our instructional focus during online learning, shifting from the supplemental structures they once were to more integral and central tools for learning during our online program. Zoom Pro has allowed us to continue to effectively coordinate as staff and to maintain that high level of care and personalized attention our teachers and school are known for.
Via the listservs established by the PTC as a part of our membership status, PTC membership has meant that we have been kept at the forefront of the response by reputable international schools around the world. Furthermore, as I mentioned at the start of this article and as the World Economic Forum has confirmed, the unprecedented global cooperation between international and government schools has been invaluable to us at Futuro Verde. Our leadership team and governing body began receiving advice and updates from partner schools in China, then the rest of Asia, then the Middle East, Europe, Africa and now Latin and North America as the virus spread across the globe. The virus came to our continent last and we have benefited greatly from the lessons learned by our partner schools and we have modified resources eagerly shared with us by other schools who are weeks ahead of us in their response in order to best meet the needs of our unique student population. And please know that we have extended that same level of support in return, sharing our own best practice with other schools in the hopes that it might help them better weather this storm we are all in together.
This doesn’t mean we were perfectly prepared for everything though…
In the one day we took for teacher training on March 17th before immediately moving to online learning with students, we hurriedly got up to speed on Google Hangouts, for daily student check-in and accessibility for office hours with teachers throughout the day. We had always had access to this App as a part of our “Google For Education” status, but our first real use of the app coincided with the crisis. Luckily our amazing teachers are dedicated learners themselves and so they dove into this new challenge, and the others that have come, as we continue to innovate our approach and program as the weeks go by.
I sincerely hope this look back in time related to preparedness has helped further contextualize the value of investing in a high quality education for your child. Effective, coordinated efforts require time, in this case years, and they also require vision, commitment and determination. As Head of School, I am deeply appreciative for our fantastic staff who have contributed to our readiness for online learning, to our international school partners for their generosity and time, and, most importantly to our students and their families for their commitment to progressive, high-quality and future minded education on the Nicoya peninsula!
For more information on our specific programming, please visit our website which houses specific information and resources related to our online and distance learning program. And, stay tuned for new response to the crisis yet to come! The latest updates from our partner schools outside of Latin and North America is that most countries and schools are beginning to transition back to on-campus learning, with modifications and precautions new to all. So, if the pattern of this global crisis stays true, a whole new challenge awaits our community soon when Latin and North America also begin to transition back! If you know us well, you know we have been preparing for that for weeks now already…
by Angie Briceño | May 5, 2020
We all remember our last year of high school: a moment in each of our lives full of all kinds of different emotions like stress, anxiety, excitement, and happiness. High school seniors experience many feelings and emotions. That last year is a culmination of a stage in life, the line between starting to live an adult life and leaving behind the life of a teenager and high schooler. That is why it is such an important time in life to have unique experiences and create lifelong memories.
High school seniors around the world are living in a unique moment in history, and our seniors are no exception. This pandemic has completely changed their senior year in terms of tests, deadlines, and the uncertainty of what will happen next. Aside from academics, they are also experiencing a social change in their senior year with their friends, eating together, doing activities that would leave a lasting impact on their lives and on the school as well. Have you imagined what it would be like to be a high school senior right now?
Here is what 12th graders Alejandro Mora and Maya Reolon have to say about their experiences during the pandemic:
“For me the transition to online learning has been very difficult. It’s hard for me to stay motivated and concentrate on my work. I started doing schoolwork from home, but there were so many distractions like the TV, cell phone, etc. Things got easier once I had a good Internet connection, because I was able to contact my teachers more, and get my questions answered, but I still find online classes to be more difficult than in-person ones. What I miss most from being at school is socializing. I miss seeing my classmates every day. One good thing about this situation is that I can develop more self-discipline, which I have made an effort to do. I try to take more responsibility for myself and my things, and without counting on anyone to constantly supervise me, I can be more independent.”
– Alejandro Mora 12°
Life as a student, particularly as an IB senior, has been interesting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Us students, as well as teachers, are learning how to continue our academic lives by virtual means. Classes are now directed by Zoom meetings, presentations are now shared by videos, and so forth. This is all not as one would expect their educational year to be, but so far, it has gone well! When online learning began, all of us students in IB were worried if we would not have the motivation to continue our learning at home. Well, so far it has been over a month, and we have been working harder than ever. I am so proud of my IB peers and for the rest of the students, keeping the motivation up and working very hard during times like this. I am also very proud of the teachers, who are working very hard (if not harder) during this time of online learning. Personally, so far this year has been a learning curve. I am learning not only academic material, but I am learning patience and I am learning self-discipline. The teachers have been very supportive with us students, especially in IB. I am thankful for them, and I am thankful for my peers. I know that when school comes back, everybody will feel more at ease and happy to be in a classroom! Even though we are all physically apart, we are all united. Thank you Futuro Verde! Go class of 2020!
by Katie Chiaverini | May 4, 2020
Conferences offer the opportunity for families and teachers to discuss student progress, share the report card, discuss student strengths and areas of growth and to allow time for parents to ask important questions and share with teachers valuable information regarding their child. During the COVID-19 Pandemic from March 17th until now, all Futuro Verde students and teachers shifted learning to an online delivery. We have continued educating our students with our online program that fully complies with curricular and grade-level requirements. Futuro Verde also created a modified rubric for evaluation purposes that fairly accounts for student learning while also taking into consideration the challenges inherent to the global and local crisis. Following our online education model, we will move ahead with our trimester I parent-teacher conference plans, but in a modified online format.
As a staff and school, we have tried several different formats for online collaboration among teachers, administration and students, including the two we have found most popular and user friendly, Zoom and Google Hangouts. At this point, teachers and families can decide which method will work best whether it be Zoom, Google Hangouts, or phone calls. If anything changes, we will provide updated information but at this time you can get a head start by downloading Zoom on your phone, tablet, or computer. Follow this link to sign up for this free application and be ready to speak with your child’s teacher on May 19th or 20th. More information will be sent out soon regarding the scheduling of conferences, how to access your child’s report card and any additional technical support that you might need assistance with to successfully connect with your child’s teacher.
We remind you that one way to keep up on your child’s work and progress is through their Google Classroom account. You can receive regular messages through the platform but we also recommend sitting down with your child to look over their to-do lists, feedback on assignments and grades. In the primary years, teachers will continue communicating with families on a regular basis through Google Classroom, Google Hangouts, Seesaw, emails or phone calls. We know that not just one communication method works for all so we are trying to accommodate different needs.
At this time, we are noticing that students are being pushed to sharpen their “soft skills” which include things like communication, time management, and organization. Our modified online rubric accentuates these soft skills by giving weight to students who show effort, creativity and resilience as well as timeliness and communication, while continuing to evaluate content mastery. We hope that we can find a “silver lining” in the crisis and focus on developing these other areas which we know build character and more balanced human beings. As teachers and administrative staff, we are definitely being given the opportunity to develop new skills and strengthen those we already possess. Learning is definitely a life-long process and we are on that journey together right now!
We look forward to taking the time to celebrate your child’s growth during such a difficult time and also to work together as a team to identify ways in which we can help them be even more successful. As the age old saying goes….it takes a village to raise a child… and in this crisis this saying rings more true than ever.
by Khalida Lockheed | May 3, 2020
An integral part of an IB education, which our students are well aware of, is the IB’s Profile of a Learner. All students can name at least a few, having seen them on the coveted Valores and participated in fun Peace Practice activities illustrating them. As a reminder to our larger community, they are: risk takers, inquirers, knowledgable, thinkers, good communicators, principled, open minded, caring, balanced, and reflective. But, did you know that another very important aspect to an IB education is the Approaches to Teaching and Learning, or ATLs? These are the skills embedded in an IB education which truly prepares students for further studies at the university level:
Rarely have these skills been so vigorously tested as in this current online learning context! Learning online, oftentimes independently, requires students to put self-management into rigorous practice. In addition, students have needed to learn different modes and skills of communication. Teachers, across the board, have been truly impressed with the work students have produced, in spite of these new challenges. We have all been delighted to see these 21st century skills on display by students and have been challenged as teachers to find new ways to deliver our lessons online which inspire these approaches to learning.
by Tristan Gamboa | May 2, 2020
The CAS program requires students to experience different stages of learning through their projects or experiences. These stages are research, preparation, action, reflection and demonstration. In this article, 12th grader Tristan Gamboa Porier tells about what he learned and accomplished through all the stages.
CAS requires us as students to be explicit about the learning outcomes achieved during our experiences or projects. The learning outcomes I developed throughout this project are:
- Identify own strengths and develop areas of growth
- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
- Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience
- Show commitment to, and perseverance, in CAS experiences
The way these learning outcomes were achieved and developed throughout the project are shown in the reflection underneath.
My Little Journey as a Club Teacher
Hi, my name is Tristan Gamboa. I am a twelfth-grade student and this is my reflection for my 2019 CAS project. What was my project? Well, my project was really simple and had really simple goals. You see I made a connection, I had two things in mind “What is something I like to do?” and “What is something I’ve never done before?” so then after some reflection I concluded “I like parkour, and I’ve never been a teacher of any kind before” And that is how my parkour club was born.
So then my project was born out of a combination of a strength and an area of personal growth. I used to be pretty good at the sport but teaching is something that had scared me and I personally would have never imagined myself doing it, so it for sure was a risk for me to set myself up to becoming a teacher. But taking this risk finally paid off, and not because the club went great (because on some occasions it didn’t) but because by the end of the club my perspective towards teaching completely changed. So I will take you on a short journey so that you can have an idea of how this process of “I will never be a teacher” to “I want to continue this club after I’m done with the project”.
Monday 3 of September of 2019 was the first class I gave and I decided for this class to be an introduction to the sport and an introduction to how I had planned for the club to carry out as much for me to get to know them. And well, I got to know them. The first thing I realized was that the kids had different attitudes towards this class, some of them were there because they wanted to be there and some seemed to be there because their parents told them to. And well this was something I didn’t expect but ended up being my biggest problem as a teacher.
As the classes kept going my first realization became a consistent issue (the kids who were there only because they had to). But along the way, I realized positive things too. Such as the fact that the homeroom teacher of my most enthusiastic kids told me that they looked forward to my club every Monday and every time I asked them for feedback at the end of the class to know how well I was doing as a teacher and they would always say that they enjoyed the class which I was always glad to hear. One particular day which really moved me was a day I was in a bad mood, and the kids asked me “why aren’t you smiling like always” and then as the class continued they kept trying to find out what was wrong and were doing their best to cheer me up which ultimately did work and left that class with a big smile on my face, all because of the kids.
With the progress of the class both of us, the kids and I, were learning a lot. They were really learning the tricks and moves that I was teaching them and I was learning how to keep their attention and how to make the activities in which they learned more fun for them. I was suddenly not working alone but in a team, kids themselves were helping their partners and helping me with the class which was teamwork that I never saw coming but I was glad to take advantage of.
A particular thing as a teacher was finding the balance between a fun class and a focused class. Every class I would work really hard to achieve that balance I would usually achieve it to a certain extent until one day when the kids were completely out of control and I thought to myself “How did my favorite teachers deal with my class when we would get out of control?”. So then that is exactly what I did, for the first time I spoke to the kids with complete seriousness and with clear intentions with my words and told them that those who were not being obedient, would no longer come to the class since they weren’t allowing their peers to learn what they came to learn. And with that, I regained their attention and for the rest of the class, they remained completely obedient but gladly not in a bad mood but just happy to be there.
The two examples I provided really summarise the ups and downs of my journey as a club teacher. In the beginning, I was afraid I could be a bad teacher and by the end, I realized that I really enjoyed teaching. Although the kids were very energetic and could become uncontrollable I had gained their respect and they had gained my love. And just like that, I had gained much more from that experience than what they could have gotten. Yes they learned a couple of tricks and one of them really fell in love with the sport which I’m proud of but I got to experience the frustration and the joy of being a teacher.
