International School Dhaka – All round education at its best!

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/04/feature_ISD.htm

“I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.” – Edith Ann

THE International School Dhaka was established in 1999 with the sole motive of providing an all-round education for its students. The school seeks to provide a high-quality English-medium education for both national and expatriate students. It provides ‘international’ education in the true sense of the word, which enables its students to become true global citizens after they graduate from the school. We from Star Campus decided to visit the school and closely observe its activities and learn a lot more about it. The tour of the campus was truly a rewarding experience.

A 30 minutes drive from the busy downtown Dhaka took us to the picturesque campus of International School Dhaka (ISD) situated in Bashundhara Residential Area in Baridhara. A warm welcome by Syed M Babar (Business Manager) and Farhana Chowdhury of the Public Relations Office of ISD was followed by a visit to the office of Stephen Murray, the CEO of ISD. After a tête-à-tête interview with the friendly CEO, he led us to a guided tour of the school campus, explaining the different functionalities of each block.

The following are the excerpts from the interview:

Star Campus (SC): What makes ISD different from the other schools?

Stephen Murray (SM): The school was originally set up to make a difference and to help drive up standards. There are several ways in which this can be answered.

We can say that we are great at sharing. We work with public schools and other international schools in Dhaka in various programmes and with a great number of charity organizations. The school is a member of DISA (Dhaka International Schools Association). We support different initiatives in Dhaka including Save the Children, Habitat for Humanity and other such projects.

People tend to think that we are an isolated ‘island’ but we do try to reach out to many people around us. Let me give you some headlines about the school to help you understand the way we go.

ISD is an Elite School, not an ‘elitist’ one and let’s differentiate between these words. We try very much to go according to the International Curriculum in the truest sense of the word. The curriculum is not dominated by the American or British or Australian or any national school curriculum but is truly an international one. We are the only school in Bangladesh to offer the International Baccalaureate.

The school has a dynamic curriculum and it changes over time and is constantly being reviewed. This leads the students to be disciplined and makes them ready for the world when they graduate from this school. Whether they live here in Dhaka or Chittagong or go outside the country, they are well prepared to face the challenges of the world. The other thing about the International Baccalaureate is that it is flexible. There are thousands of schools around the world that offer IB. For our transit population, people who are expatriates, working in NGOs and multinational companies, diplomatic missions and so on, and the Bangladeshi community who go abroad for various reasons, the children of these people can adjust well when they move to other countries.

SC: How many countries in the world have the IB Curriculum?

SM: The IB system of education exists in over 127 countries around the world and the country with the largest number of schools offering the International Baccalaureate is United States!

Our first batch of graduates came out in May last year and one of them got admitted in the University College London with a scholarship. The students from Bangladesh have showed above average performance in the IB exams.

Our subjects include Mathematics, the Sciences, the Arts and other important courses. The students not only have to learn the theory, they also have to learn how to question themselves, the reason how each theory came to be and so on so that they can develop an inquisitive mind, rather than accepting what their teachers are teaching them passively.

Our school awards two diplomas at the end of Grade 12. One is the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the second one is the ISD School Diploma. Our students sit for six subjects to earn this diploma.

SC: Are the students involved with Community Service Activities?

SM: We have a programme called the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) where all students are required to do several hundred hours of community service over a period of two years. And based on their experiences while doing the community service activities, they have to write a 4000 word essay at the end of their term.

Activities range from large non-governmental organisations to small local set-ups. Present activities are focused on fund-raising and currently, the school supports UTSHO (a hostel and school for street children in Dhaka), Rishilpi (helping to re-build 13 village schools which were destroyed by cyclone) and Pirgachha Mission (contributing a monthly sum towards paying for milk and medicine for newborn babies).

SC: Tell us about the management and accreditation of the school.

SM: ISD is not managed locally, but by the Council of International Schools. The owners have requested the Council of International Schools to take care of its management directly.

The school is accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Council of International Schools. These accreditations are constantly monitored hence a high standard of education must be maintained.

SC: How are the teachers selected?

SM: We believe in empowering the students by teaching them how to do research and encourage their thinking process. We look for teachers who have the right approach to teaching. We currently have 50 expatriate teachers and 5 local teachers and there are Teaching Assistants for all the course teachers.

We do not teach the students in the traditional method, rather we empower them to learn. The students get to learn how to research for themselves and how to do critical thinking on their own.

SC: How much do the students get to learn about Bangladesh and its cultures and values?

SM: Although we have an International Approach to our teaching, we also uphold local cultures and values. We celebrate the Pahela Boishakh, Independence Day and other such programmes on the school premises.

Since 65% students of the school are Bangladeshi we have a Bangla course in our Middle Years Program(MYP).

We arrange regular workshops for parents and from the coming August we will be launching an Online Monitoring System for the parents where they can keep track of their children’s performance from anywhere in the world.

SC: What other features make the school special?

SM: We have an excellent support staff and I believe that the support staff is the engine of a school. ISD is a secular school and we do not offer any religious courses.

In addition to that we have an automated library, gymnasium, heated swimming pool, cafeteria, playing field, tennis and basketball courts, landscaped gardens and play areas inside the campus.

SC: Thank you sir for your cooperation.

We left ISD much informed than before. The tour helped us gain an insight into the academic and operational aspects of the school.

The concept of International Baccalaureate Diploma is a relatively new one in Bangladesh but it is fast gaining more and more acceptance at home and abroad. The International Baccalaureate Diploma holders have gained admission to some of the most prestigious and selective universities throughout the world and ISD is playing its part here in Bangladesh.

Prof. Kabir Choudhury at the Star Campus – ETC adda

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/04/feature_adda.htm

HAVING National Professor Kabir Choudhury in the midst of a small congregation of university students was already an attractive bargain, and when he decided to narrate a beautiful story, it came as a bonus to the eager young people. Prof. Kabir Choudhury joined a monthly book reading and discussion adda that Star Campus organises in collaboration with ETC located on Road 27, Dhanmondi. The adda takes place in the library section of ETC and participants are selected from various public and private universities of the country.

Prof. Kabir Choudhury has translated South African writer John Maxwell Coetzee’s novel ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’ in Bangla. The novel fetched Coetzee the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. The Nobel Prize committee had termed the book a “political thriller.” Prof. Choudhury decided to narrate the story briefly and then read out some paragraphs from the original novel to give some idea about the superb story-telling skill of Coetzee.

Prof. Choudhury himself displayed his outstanding ability to keep his audience spellbound when he narrated the captivating story. He continued for nearly an hour and then stopped with a smile to survey the reaction of his audience. They surely were looking forward to hear him more. But he had come to the end of the story. Prof. Choudhury invited them to ask questions if they had any. In fact there were plenty and he answered them one by one. Later he explained why he had decided to translate this particular book. He said that the story and the characters seem to correspond to the real life situation and real life people in our country under any government at any given time. This universal appeal motivated him to select the novel for translation. We could not thank him enough for finding time to be with us that afternoon. We want to thank Prof. Shahin Kabir and Prof. Asrar Chowdhury and all the students for joining the adda.

Photo Feature: On Top of The World

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/03/pfeature.htm

Standing 7000 feet over sea level, the city of Darjeeling has long been a coveted tourist spot for people who love adventures. Sharp bends in the roads, steep mountains, and stretches of tea gardens and wild forests make Darjeeling, India one of the best tourist destinations in the world. Here are some photos from my recent visit to Darjeeling.

Spotlight : Summer Campus Wear [Cool Tips for a Hot Summer]

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/03/camspotlight.htm

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Summer in Bangladesh means the time for mangoes, lychee, watermelons and a whole range of other juicy and yummy seasonal fruits. But it also means a hot and humid weather, when simply going outdoors with the scorching sun glaring at you can become torture itself! But we have little options left given the fact that, like it or not, universities and colleges continue operating full-throttle in the long and excruciating summer! So here are some tips on how to keep yourself cool in this hot and humid summer:

1. Drink lots of water
Drink as much water and juice as you can possibly afford to, because the extreme heat is likely to take all the water away from you when you have to take a walk from some place to other. So, unless if you want to get yourself dehydrated, drink a lot of water and try carrying a bottle of water with you so that you can quench your thirst wherever and whenever you need to.

2. Wear light-coloured clothes:
Ok, so you have a range of cool black T-shirts, which you want to show off more often than not. But wait a minute, would you still continue wearing them knowing that dark and dull materials (and yes, black is the darkest possible colour) absorb heat much more than their light-coloured counterparts? I guess not. Choose white and other light-coloured cotton materials for your summer clothes unless if you want to turn yourself into a steam oven!

3. Let your feet breathe
Just like you crave for more wind and air with the hot summer air blowing, your feet too deserve to breathe rather than being stuck in a pair of tight, leather shoes all day long! For people who have an option to choose flip-flops and sandal-shoes over formal shoes, please do so in the summer, unless if you want to see your beloved feet in utter distress.

4. Protect your eyes
Protecting your eyes against the harmful UV-rays is a must and this is where the sunglass comes in. Wear one whenever you have to go outdoors during the daytime.

5. Protect your head
There’s absolutely no benefit exposing your precious head to the glaring rays of the blazing sun. Use an umbrella if possible or at least a wide-brimmed hat or a cap at that.

Hmm…now go out and enjoy whatever summer has to offer for you. Stay safe and stay cool!

Tech Wise [20th April 2008]

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/03/tech.htm

Raising The Bars – OPUS 8 Mechanical Digital

The Opus 8 from Harry Winston Rare Timepieces is surely some innovation! Inspired by early electronic LED watches of the 1970s (like the first Hamilton Pulsar), creator Frédéric Garinaud (of Renaud & Papi) & CSH developed the Opus 8 with a new twist on mechanical-digital watches. Time is shown by pulling the side-lever down which in turn activates mechanical pixels to rise up from the digitally segmented dial displaying the hour of the day, am/pm, and indication of minutes by rising five minute markers located in a vertical scale next to the primary display. Things will be better explained when you look at the images.

Feedback (Letter to the Editor)

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/03/letter.htm

Dear Editor,
I am Farzeen, a regular reader of the Star Campus magazine and I must say that over time, it has become one of my most favourite magazines. Star Campus has truly established itself as the voice of today’s young generation and the variety of topics that are covered in the different articles continue to draw my attention. The fact that its content is pretty diverse and unpredictable makes it all the more interesting.

I used to read the printed version back home and now that I am in England for my Masters, I continue to read Star Campus on the online edition. Thanks for making Star Campus such a great magazine!

On an ending note, I would like to point out that the print version would have been much more enjoyable if better qualities of ink and paper were used.

Farzeen Mahboob
University of Portsmouth, England.

Dear Farzeen,
Many thanks for your mail. It is for readers like you that we(the Star Campus Team) continue to work hard to make the magazine better and better. Please continue to read Star Campus and send in your articles and stories and we will consider them for publishing. And about your observation about the print version, we’ll keep it in mind and will try to improve on its quality in the near future.
Star Campus Editor

“I wonder how many of your families get the Daily Star. I do hope some of you read at least parts of it. On Thursday, there is an inset for young people called Rising Stars and there is another for universities, colleges and schools called ‘Star Campus’. In ‘Star Campus’ a couple of weeks back, several students wrote who had been to get their Voter ID. Some of them are really pleased about being new voters. This is what Mahdin Mahboob wrote:

“..Many of us students will be able to cast our votes for the first time. As much as it is important for us to educate ourselves and lead our country in the future in all aspects, it must also be remembered that we should also involve ourselves in political matters, not move away from them in fear or disgust, or more sadly, indifference…”

Dear Mahdin,
Thank you for your article in Star Campus a couple of weeks back – I cut it out and filed it for possible use in my morning Assembly and the opening lines above are from an Assembly in the Girls’ Section at Bangladesh International Tutorial!

My morning Assemblies take me anything from half and hour to an hour and a half to write. It is terrific discipline but I like it – writing in extremely simple English for Class 2 to Class 9 for Assembly.

Anyway, thank you very much. I know how much I like to know that something I have done has produced ‘fruit’ in one way or another so I thought I would let you know. So much of what one does in life, one wonders at times whether it was worth bothering with!

Angela Robinson
Headmistress Girls’ Section BIT

Dear Ms.Robinson,
Thank you for your email. It was a pleasant surprise for us to know that you’ve talked about our cover story ‘First Time Voters’ in your school assembly.
I feel honoured knowing that you have quoted from my article in your assembly speech. I hope this inspires your students, who represent the future of our country, to actually get involved with our political process some day.

Thanks and Regards,
Mahdin.

Thoughts on Pahela Baishakh…

http://thedailystar.net/suppliments/2008/pohela_boishakh/thoughts.htm

If there is any festival that unites all of us Bangalis, it is none other than the Bengali New Year or Pahela Baishakh (1st Baishakh). This is a time that enables us to forget all the differences and indulge in celebrating our Bangaliana.

The history of the Bengali Calendar or Bongabdo goes back over 400 years to the Mughal Era in India when Emperor Akbar in 1584 AD initiated it with the name Fasli San (agricultural year). It later came to be known in its current name. In the Mughal Era, the Hijri (Islamic) Calendar was followed for collecting agricultural taxes. However, as the Islamic calendar is a Moon calendar, it does not coincide with the harvest and this resulted in farmers being hard-pressed to pay taxes out of season. In order to take care of this problem, the Mughal Emperor ordered a reform of the calendar and accordingly, Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar and astronomer, formulated the Bangla year (Bongabdo) on the basis of the lunar Hijri and Bangla solar calendars.

The first day of the Bengali Calendar, is not only a time for jubilation and celebration, it also is a huge financial affair in the form of opening new halkhatas or new book of accounts. In villages, towns and cities, traders and businessmen close their old account books on this day and open new ones. They invite their customers to share sweets and renew their business relationship with them. This tradition is still practiced in different parts of the country, especially by jewelers. In Dhaka, this tradition still continues to thrive in the different business organizations based in Old Dhaka.

The historical importance of the celebration of the Bengali New Year in Bangladesh may be dated from the observance of the day by Chhayanat in 1965. In an attempt to suppress Bengali culture, the Pakistan Government had banned songs written by Rabindranath Tagore, the most famous poet and writer in Bengali literature. Protesting this move, Chhayanat opened their Pahela Baishakh celebration at Ramna Park (Ramna Botomul) with Tagore’s song welcoming the month. The day continued to be celebrated in East Pakistan as a symbol of Bengali culture. After we gained independence in 1971, it soon became a national festival, a symbol of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and an integral part of the people’s cultural heritage. Later, in mid 1980s the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University added colour to the day by initiating the Boishakhi parade, much like a carnival parade. Today, the cultural function and Baishakhi Fair at Ramna Botomul and the parade organized by the Institute of Fine Arts has become an integral part of the Baishakh celebrations.

Since Pahela Baishakh is a public holiday, everyone gets the opportunity to celebrate it to the maximum. Starting from the musical soiree early in the morning at Ramna Botomul to the different Baishakhi Melas arranged all over the city, Dhaka, like all other cities in Bangladesh, becomes a celebration point of life. Men are seen to be clad in white kurtas while women grace themselves with the quintessential ’shada sharee with lal par’. The panta-ilish along with different other Bangali delicacies including a range of bhortas and pithas are on the must-have list on this day. Whether you roam around the whole day, or take a break and chill at home with friends and family over a glass of Tetuler Shorbot is totally up to you but the fact that everyone becomes a true Bangali on this day is undeniable.

But were we meant to be Bangalis for one single day every year? Is this why a countless number of men and women sacrificed their lives in our Liberation War in 1971? I hate to say this, but today, most of us are becoming what can be appropriately termed as ‘One-Day-Bangalis’.

Due to modernization and so-called westernization, our generation has the tendency to forget most of the Bangali culture that we were once proud of one day. A major part of every culture is its culinary delights and our culture is rich in its own array of different sorts of delicacies. Pitha, Kheer and other sweets, made out of patali gur and khejurer gur used to be a commonly available delicacy in different households of this region not a long time back. But today, it would be really difficult to find these delicacies when you go to someone’s house. Even if you do, it is very unlikely that it will be homemade. There is a lot of question on the quality of Pithas and sweets bought from different shops (especially after we got to see on TV the ‘extremely hygienic’ conditions in different shops in the mobile court missions). But people would find it ‘unsmart’ to present homemade pithas, they would rather buy these from different shops, many of whose maintenance of hygiene levels while making the food are seriously doubtable.

The history of cake dates back to more than 300 years and it still continues to be baked in almost all the households in the western world. I am not claiming that people do not buy from bakeries, they most certainly do, but they haven’t ceased to know how to bake it themselves. On special occasions, a homemade cake is a must no matter how rich or poor you are.

It’s true that life has become faster and we cannot afford to spend as much time on cooking as we could have possibly done before. But let’s go back to the example of the cake. Question is, if the Western people can still manage time with the help of new technologies (microwave ovens, blenders, mixers, etc.) why can’t we? Why have we become too busy to practice our own culture? That surely is a question that remains to be answered!

Tech Wise [13th April 2008]

http://thedailystar.net/campus/2008/04/02/tech.htm

NapTV

This cool NapTV chair allows you to sit on it when you want to and quickly becomes a TV when you lie down! Cool, isn’t it? Don’t become too hopeful now, since the NapTV is still only a concept but might turn out to be a reality in the near future!

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Cartoon Source : beingfive.com

Informatics Olympiad held at five divisional hqs

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=30423

The Bangladesh Informatics Olympiad (BIO) 2008 was held in five divisional headquarters of the country recently, says a press release.

With the theme ‘Challenge your talents for the best algorithm and programs’, the competition involves a head-on fight of school and college children with sharp mathematical and analytical minds.

The three-hour exam contained questions, which ranged anything and everything between brainteasers, analytical questions and writing pseudocodes (algorithms).

The contests took place at Notre Dame College in Dhaka, Premier University in Chittagong, Metropolitan University in Sylhet, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology and Rajshahi University.

Organised by the Bangladesh Informatics Olympiad Committee (BIOC) and Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (BAS), the event was sponsored by Nescafe 3-in-1. The Daily Star was the media partner of the event.

The winners of these contests will battle in the national event scheduled to be held at Notre Dame College on April 11.

The key goal of this event is to select the participants from Bangladesh for the International Olympiad in Informatics, which is scheduled to be held in Alexandria, Egypt in August this year.

The IOI was first held in Bulgaria in 1989 and has since been regarded as one of the foremost platforms to find young and talented students form all across the world.