Work Experience | C7-8

Our C7-8 learners  have been busy preparing for their second day of work experience trips. The first day, Wed 8 May included visits to diverse places such as Spark Global. At Spark Global, learners gained insights into the materials used to make basketballs and are eagerly anticipating their visit to the basketball factory in the coming days. Three students also had an enjoyable time at Café Basecamp 66, where they learned to serve and make coffee while interacting with customers. Although it wasn’t busy that day, the learners still had a great experience.

Other C7-8 learners visited TJ Muay Thai Gym, Vena Fine Art, and Beat Active. At Beat Active, they learned how the machines operate and assisted in their operation. They also gained knowledge about customer contracts and practiced signing in customers. These trips are imparting essential skills needed for the workforce, such as networking, organization, time management, and responsibility, while exposing them to potential career paths.

As this was the Middle Loop's first work experience program, there were some logistical challenges, and not all learners could attend their first-choice locations. However, we have adjusted some locations to better accommodate their preferences. We're excited to see how these experiences will shape their futures, with the final two days of the program scheduled for 24 and 29 May.

Authors Jess & Maya

The photo below might be a bit blurry, but it's too great a photo mosaic not to share with you. For Atom's Explore project last quarter, his 'side hustle' was making money by washing cars—yes, he's an entrepreneur. For his work experience, Atom visited a professional car wash to learn how the big machines operate, the types of detergents and chemicals used, and the entire car washing process, including different types of washes, polishes, waxes, and finishes.

It goes without saying that our 7-8 Work Experience focus this quarter has already been a resounding success. Our learners have thoroughly enjoyed getting out into the real world and learning how things work. We will capture these diverse experiences and share more in the next MUSTER. Stay tuned!

Check out the map below. The red pins indicate the locations where each Work Experience group is situated across Bangkok. Truly, Bangkok is our classroom.

There is nothing more exciting than seeing seven mini-vans transporting small groups to various locations, providing them with expert, first-hand experiences in fields that interest them. A big thanks and shout out to JC for making this happen. He is our invaluable community connector!

House System| Mindsets + Elements

It's A Creative Process

We have made significant progress in introducing, designing, and refining our four house mascots over the past few weeks. Contributions from the Lower, Middle, and Upper Loops have brought forth thoughtful and creative designs that truly shine. Some of these designs are now on display in pH7, showcasing the creative process our learners have experienced.

Our learners have embraced the concept that the four mindsets and four elements will come together to represent each house mascot. They have undergone a crash course in symbolism, subliminal messaging, and interpretive shape and color recognition, enriching their understanding and creativity.

The next phase involves narrowing down the designs to 3-4 sets based on the ideas from our learners. Our graphic designer is currently developing different concepts from these designs, and we will soon present the options publicly in pH7.

We will provide instructions on how the community can vote for their favorite design using a QR code. Please take the time to visit the pH7 space and cast your vote. This has been a whole school focus, and we are proud of the designs presented so far.

We will keep the community updated as this process unfolds. Remember to have your say on the strongest design that we can all be proud of and embrace as our four new VERSO House Mascots.

Inspired to Connect is WATER. Water can flow in any direction and often tries to connect with a river, ocean, or lake.

Curious to Explore is WIND. Wind can blow in any direction and can explore every corner of the planet.

Equipped to Transition is EARTH. The Earth can adapt and transition depending on the landscape and environment it is in. 

Driven to Contribute is FIRE. When we add another log on the fire it contributes to the flame that is burning to burn even brighter.

conVERSO| Inspired to Connect

A heartfelt thank you to our families for actively connecting with us to share insights about your child's learning. Your involvement is crucial in fostering a collaborative educational environment, enabling us to tailor our approaches to meet each learner's unique needs.
 
By sharing your perspectives and observations, you help us gain a deeper understanding of your child's strengths, challenges, and progress. This partnership not only enhances the effectiveness of our teaching strategies but also ensures that we provide the most supportive and enriching learning experiences possible. Your engagement is invaluable, and we appreciate your commitment to your child's education.

ML Program| Learning Lab

A major project for us in the Middle Loop (ML) has been finalizing a comprehensive four-year ML Learning Lab program. Learning Lab represents the most substantial component of our curriculum, both in terms of time and Learning Designer-led projects. We will provide more detailed information about this during Lift Off in August 2024, where we will explain how everything works. For now, we want to share the main concept behind our Learning Lab projects.

Our focus is on ensuring a balanced integration of competencies, New York State Standards (NYSS), and competencies, aligning them with a Driving Question and identifying a literacy focus for each project. Additionally, we have connected a specific mindset to each quarter to illuminate the project and emphasize that mindset as a lens to enhance the learning experience explicitly.

What to Expect:

2 Subjects for each Learning Lab project
2-3 New York State Standards for each Learning Lab project
2 Competencies for each Learning Lab project
1 Driving Question for each Learning Lab project

The New York State Standards and scope and sequence documents have been meticulously aligned with our curriculum commitment to provide a rigorous and impactful project experience.

Using C5-6 as an example, the visual below outlines the Middle Loop (ML) program across the year. It maps all the key learning areas and experiences, incorporating both subjects and strands within those subjects, providing context for each project.

The Future Ready Spectrum, which encompasses our six Proficiencies and 20 Competencies, highlights our commitment to competency-based learning. This approach focuses on what learners can do with what they know, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary for future success.

Please remember we are sharing this now as a way for you to get a picture of our ML program. We will be sharing how it all comes together in greater detail in the new school year.

We will also be at a point where we can share all 16 Learning Lab projects, disciplines, NYSS and Driving Questions with you.

This is what families have been asking for, we've heard you, and will now deliver. A tremendous amount of work as gone into shaping this program and we're extremely proud of the LD team shaping this to create powerful, relevant and meaningful projects for our learners. 

We look forward to connecting with you all very soon to share our curriculum map as we continue to go from strength to strength in providing academic excellence the VERSO way.

From all the team in the ML, thank you for your support and encouragement!

Save The Dates

• 27 May: Grade 4 to C5-6 Transition Parent Session | 3-4 pm in the ML
• 29 May: C7-8 Work Experience Day
• 11 June: C5-6 Learning Lab ShowTime
• 14 June: Senior Graduation Ceremony Live Stream, 1:30pm
• 18 June: VERSO Touchdown and Last Day of School