SIS News
Germany
Winter 2014/15_International Mindedness
Table of content
Editorial   _3
News   _4
Success Stories   _9
SIS Connected   _10
SIS under Construction   _12
On Learning   _13
SIS Friedrichshafen   _14
SIS Ingolstadt   _16
SIS Kassel   _18
SIS Regensburg   _20
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach   _22
Design concept: dezember und juli gmbh
Concept, editing: Christina Heinisch, Annette Dirksen, Ann-Christin Werner
Photos: Palma Fiacco, teams at SIS schools
Printing: Bechtel Druck
Circulation: 1.500
January 2015
Die SIS Swiss International School ist eine private Ganztagesschule, die vom Kindergarten bis zur Hochschulreife
führt. Mit durchgängig zweisprachigem Unterricht und Schulalltag in Deutsch und Englisch und deutschen sowie
internationalen Bildungsabschlüssen richtet sich die SIS an einheimische ebenso wie an international mobile
Familien. Die Pädagogik der SIS ist weltanschaulich unabhängig, baut jedoch auf klar definierte Grundwerte.
Die SIS betreibt Schulen in der Schweiz, in Deutschland und in Brasilien. SIS Swiss International School ist ein
Gemeinschaftsunternehmen der Kalaidos Bildungsgruppe Schweiz und der Klett Gruppe.
Die Klett Gruppe ist mit ihren 61 Unternehmen an 36 Standorten in 14 Ländern ein führendes Bildungsunternehmen in Europa. Das Angebot der Gruppe reicht vom klassischen Schulbuch bis zu modernsten interaktiven
Lernhilfen, von Fachliteratur bis zur schönen Literatur. Darüber hinaus ist die Klett Gruppe der führende private
Anbieter von Bildungs- und Weiterbildungsdiensleistungen. Weitere Informationen unter www.klett-gruppe.de.
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Kalaidos ist eine führende Bildungsgruppe mit umfassender Auswahl an bedürfnisgerechten Bildungsangeboten
auf allen Bildungsstufen. Die Kalaidos Bildungsgruppe ist eigentümergeführt und in der Schweiz und international
tätig. Menschen in allen Lebensphasen und mit unterschiedlichem Bildungshintergrund sowie Institutionen jeglicher Größe zählen zu den Kunden von Unternehmen der Kalaidos Bildungsgruppe. Weitere Informationen unter
www.kalaidos.ch.
Editorial
Dear readers,
For the last time I have the pleasure to present a new edition of the SIS News Germany
to you. As you may already now I decided to resign from my position as CEO of the SIS
Germany. After nearly seven years as the CEO of SIS Germany and almost nine years
working with SIS in total (including the time before the first SIS school in Germany opened),
I feel it is time for a change in my professional life. The decision was not an easy one, since
I have had a wonderful time at the SIS with many enriching encounters with colleagues and
staff, students and parents.
I am happy to hand over my position to Ms Ann-Christin Werner after having worked
together with her very closely and trustfully for five years. Besides having worked in different positions in the SIS administration and management, Ms Werner has already covered
successfully for myself during my parental leave in 2013/14.
I am convinced that SIS Germany will continue its successful development under the new
leadership. For parents and children, the teachers and principal at your school will remain
the most important point of contact, and I would like to ask you for your continuous support. I also would like to express my gratitude for your trust throughout the past couple of
years – especially to the “pioneer parents” who enrolled their children at a time when SIS
was not much more than some information material and a few faces. It was you and your
children and, of course, their teachers who filled buildings and ideas with life and made
them become true schools.
With warm regards and best wishes for you and your children
Annette Dirksen
Dear readers,
We have chosen to highlight international mindedness in this issue of SIS News Germany.
One would like to think that this concept should be “a given”, and part and parcel of life at
a bilingual international school. However, it encompasses far more than just celebrating
traditions from around the world or the acquisition of language skills. Where people – students, parents, teachers and staff – interact as closely as they do at school, international
mindedness often takes on a deeper meaning since it makes values and emotions, principles and habits, matters of taste and beliefs visible. The ability to communicate well,
and in a spirit of trust, can help overcome differences in opinion and encourage mutual
understanding. Simultaneously, it is also important to step back and frequently reflect on
what international mindedness really means to us.
In this issue you will find diverse interpretations of this term. However, these all share a
common core: international mindedness is about empathizing with, and understanding
other people’s perspectives, and critically reflecting one’s own viewpoint. This enables us
to make a positive contribution to the wider world, and to our own immediate environment.
The teams at the SIS schools actively encourage students of all ages to think carefully
about the meaning of international mindedness – and to consider what actions and behaviours are in line with the insights it brings. This encouragement is key, since, as expressed
on page 13, “international mindedness is taught, not caught”.
I hope you enjoy reading the current issue.
Ann-Christin Werner
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News
SIS Germany
SIS Germany is growing steadily; around 760 students are currently enrolled in our schools
in Friedrichshafen, Ingolstadt, Kassel, Regensburg and Stuttgart-Fellbach.
Professional Development
In October 2014, we held two professional development days for the teachers of SIS
Germany which took place in Ingolstadt and in Stuttgart-Fellbach. The content of all
course offered was directly related to those of this year’s company goals which focus on
the teaching and learning at SIS. Teachers were introduced to the SIS Writing Curriculum
and the IB Diploma Programme or learned about alternative assessment methods.
In November 2014, SIS Germany teachers travelled to Switzerland for another two days of
professional development at the SIS Basel. Around 225 SIS teachers from Germany and
Switzerland attended up to three of the 45 courses on offer. A wide range of topics was
covered, such as teaching reading and writing skills, supporting students to become selfdirecting learners and the use of ICT in the classroom.
SIS Friedrichshafen
SIS Friedrichshafen currently has a total of 135 students in preschool, primary and secondary school.
Excursions
During fall, our students went on various types of excursions which are linked to contents
of our school curriculum and which aim to strengthen the school and class community.
The preschool children spent two days exploring their neighbourhood, the primary school
students took part in a recycling workshop, made waste monsters and learned measures
for waste prevention and separation in schools. The secondary school students stayed in
a hay hotel, some visited Basel, Nürnberg or even Paris to learn more about these cities.
Grade 9 students went to an abbey to prepare themselves for their social work experience.
Thanksgiving and Fun Run
In November, we celebrated our traditional Thanksgiving project day. This year’s theme
was the political, geographical, and economical background of asylum seekers, which is
related to our epoch goal of altruism. As in the past year, we also organised a Fun Run for
the afternoon. The secondary school students ran to their future school house in Fallen­
brunnen and were sponsored by their parents or relatives. The money raised (2.517 Euros)
was donated to a home for asylum seekers located in Markdorf which is organised by the
charity organization Deutsches Rotes Kreuz.
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New Schoolhouse
SIS Friedrichshafen is looking forward to a big step in its development: In order to accommodate the growing number of students, the school is going to move into a new building
in 2015/16. The new school house is a former barracks building which is currently being
reconstructed. Once the construction work is completed, the building will offer various
class and group rooms, a lab, an art as well as a music room, a media centre and a
cafeteria. There will also be a brand-new gym and new recess areas. We celebrated the
ground-breaking ceremony in July and are now very excited to see how the construction
work progresses day by day (see also page 12).
SIS Ingolstadt
Currently we have 140 students in our preschool, primary and secondary school.
New Principal
Since the beginning of this school year, Robert Parr is principal of SIS Ingolstadt. Robert
Parr has a long experience as teacher and teacher trainer and has also published a wide
range of materials that are used to teach English in primary and secondary schools in
Germany. He follows developments in Bavaria’s education policy closely, and in recent
years he has been advising the Bavarian State Ministry of Education on curriculum design
and English language examinations.
In the academic year 2012/13, he took a sabbatical and spent eight months in Jhabua,
India, carrying out voluntary work on the board of management of the Bhil Academy, a
residential, English-medium school for some 350 pupils aged between 5 and 18.
IB Consultant Visits
We are in the so called candidacy phase on our way to become an IB World School in
order to be entitled to offer the IB Diploma Programme. The IBO provides assistance
to any school involved during the candidacy phase via a consultant who is available to
answer questions and who will visit the school at some point during the candidacy. At
the beginning of October, Dr David James from the IBO spent two days at SIS Ingolstadt
advising the school and staff. This visit was particularly helpful as areas of need as well as
areas of achievement became highlighted. With the verification visit due to take place next
spring, the school plans to implement the IB Diploma Programme from September 2015.
The photo shows, from left to right: Robert Parr, Pamela Bradley-Höllering, Tim Kaboth,
Dr David James, Irina Wiedemann, Birgit Hüttinger and Bryan Banker.
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News
SIS Kassel
SIS Kassel had an amazing start in September 2014 with around 45 students in the reception class, in grade 1 as well as in a class combining grades 2 and 3 of primary school.
Principal Sebastian Koch welcomed the new students and their families as well as five new
teachers in a brand new school building. The official opening party is held in January 2015.
The past weeks of school were filled with many “firsts”: the first PE lessons in a nearby
gym, the first school assembly and the first excursion to the nature reserve Dönche.
First Open House
In November, we invited parents and children to an open house. We presented our school
concept in primary school and reception class to the visitors and were happy that so many
interested parents came to visit us.
SIS Regensburg
SIS Regensburg now has a total enrolment of 113 students in the bilingual preschool,
primary and secondary school and the English-speaking primary and secondary school.
Integration Days: Team Player
SIS Regensburg started the new school year with integration days for the students on
the topic Team Player. The students learned what it means to work and to communicate
in a team – and they learned what happens if they do not communicate with each other!
For the project The Body as a Team, different groups of students were asked to create a
certain part of a body without any particular instructions. The groups had the possibility
to communicate with each other, but did not make use of it. As a result, the different parts
of the body did not match when the students tried to put them together because they had
different sizes and forms. In the following discussion, the students reflected their behaviour and learned about the importance of communication. On the second day, all students
organised a big school welcome party and on the third day, they went on excursions in the
Regensburg area.
On Our Way to the IB Diploma
Just like SIS Ingolstadt, SIS Regensburg is a candidate school for the IB Diploma Programme. Together with our colleagues from SIS Ingolstadt, we kicked off the school year
with a workshop on the IB Diploma Programme held by Peter Bultmann, Associate Manager of the IBO. Moreover, we welcomed Adam Armanski from the IBO for a consultation
visit in October. He took a close look at different areas, such as philosophy or curriculum,
and provided feedback which helps us to plan the next steps towards the verification visit
in 2015.
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SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach
326 students are currently enrolled in preschool, primary and secondary school at SIS
Stuttgart-Fellbach.
IB World School
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach was accredited as IB World School by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in June 2014 and is now entitled to offer the IB Diploma Programme
which – at SIS Germany – is integrated into the preparation for the Abitur during grades
11 and 12. Eight students in grade 11 at SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach have started this challenging programme at the beginning of this school year for the very first time. They will be the
first students to graduate from a German SIS school in 2016 with the German Abitur and
optionally the IB Diploma (see also page 9).
More Space for More Students
As the number of students attending SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach is increasing steadily, new
rooms become necessary: A new, bright and spacious atelier for the art lessons was
inaugurated lately. A new gym is being built in front of the schoolhouse which will be ready
for use in summer 2015. It will be used by SIS students, students of other educational
institutions on the campus and the sports club TSV Schmiden.
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News
SIS Switzerland
New CEO of SIS Switzerland
As of January 2015, Dr. Ursula Gehbauer Tichler will be the new CEO of SIS Swiss
International School Switzerland. She studied German and English in Zürich and wrote
her dissertation in Utrecht (Netherlands). She subsequently completed an executive MBA,
spending time in the USA and China. In 2001, after a number of years of teaching, she
became head of the higher vocational college of tourism in Graubünden (Höhere Fach­
schule für Tourismus Graubünden) and a member of the management board at Academia
Engiadina. Ten years later, she took over the general management at the Swiss School of
Tourism and Hospitality in Passugg as both principal and CEO.
Ambros Hollenstein who has been CEO of SIS Switzerland for the past six years, will be
responsible for the general management of the SIS group, which presides over the subsidiary country managements of SIS Switzerland, SIS Germany and SIS Brazil. Together
with Ann-Christin Werner, who will replace Annette Dirksen as CEO of SIS Germany from
1 January 2015, Mr. Hollenstein will still be jointly responsible for the management of SIS
Germany.
Opening of Tenth SIS School in Switzerland
Situated in the upper Lake Zürich area, SIS Pfäffikon-Schwyz will be opened in August
2015. During the 2015/16 academic year, classes will be held in a modular building.
During the start-up phase, preschool for five-year-olds and the primary grades 1 to 4 will
be offered.
The planned campus, which is going to meet the specific requirements of SIS, will be built
adjacent to the modular building. From August 2016, the campus will offer the ideal learning
environment for preschool, primary and secondary school. In addition to spacious classrooms, the grounds will hold a media centre, specialised rooms for music, arts and crafts,
a science lab, a cafeteria as well as a gym and outdoor facilities.
The campus provides enough extra space to accommodate for the anticipated growth of
SIS Pfäffikon-Schwyz at a later point in time. Provided there is enough demand, the school
plans to offer classes on the secondary II level, culminating in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
SIS Brazil
Schweizerschule Rio de Janeiro by SIS Swiss International School
The Schweizerschule Rio de Janeiro has joined the SIS Swiss International School family.
The school was founded in 1963 by Swiss immigrants, who wanted their children to receive
a well-rounded, bilingual education. 590 students attend the school, from preschool all
the way up to college level. A new building was recently constructed to accommodate an
additional 400 students.
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Success Stories
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach is an IB World School!
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach was accredited as IB World School by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in June 2014 and is now entitled to offer the IB Diploma Programme.
After having been granted full state recognition for grades 8 to 12 in April 2014, the
successful completion of the IB accreditation process marked another milestone in the
development of SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach. SIS students will now be able not only to graduate with the German Abitur but may also obtain the IB Diploma as an additional option.
The preparation for the IB Diploma is integrated into the preparation for the Abitur during
grades 11 and 12. This challenging combination of the two programmes is offered only by
few schools in Germany and is a distinctive feature of the SIS profile.
IB Diploma Features
With the IB Diploma, students obtain an internationally recognised university entrance
qualification which excellently prepares them for university studies, particularly in Englishspeaking countries.
In addition to the specialization in six individual subjects, the Diploma Programme is characterised by three distinctive features: The mandatory core component CAS (Creativity,
Action and Service) ensures that students engage in Arts, Sports and Social Services.
The subject Theory of Knowledge teaches students to develop a way of independent and
critical thinking. By writing the Extended Essay, students intensively train the methods of
academic writing and research.
Detailed Documentation
The authorization process started with a preparation phase of two years, the so called
candidacy phase, in which SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach has had a close look into the contents
and the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. At the beginning of this preparation
phase as well as some months before the accreditation, the school submitted extensive
documentation concerning the planned implementation of the IB Diploma Programme at
the SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach. The documents have been closely examined by the IBO. During the verification visit in May 2014, two IBO representatives stayed at the SIS StuttgartFellbach for two days in order to gain a comprehensive insight into the daily school operations including lessons taught by IB Diploma teachers. Furthermore, the IBO representatives inspected the infrastructure and school policies and ascertained whether all involved
parties are familiar with the contents and the requirements of the Diploma Programme by
talking to parents, students, teachers, the principal and the school management.
“We believe that with the integration of Abitur and IB Diploma Programme we offer our
students a broad education and an excellent preparation for their further personal as well
as academic and professional future”, concludes principal Thomas Hackmann.
Congratulationí
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SIS Connected
Schüleraustausch I: Schulbesuch Regensburg – Friedrichshafen
Stefanie Hausmann, Schulleiterin SIS Friedrichshafen
Vor einem Jahr waren Schülerinnen und Schüler der SIS Friedrichshafen zu Besuch an der
SIS Regensburg (siehe SIS News Winter 2013/14). Nun stand endlich der Gegenbesuch
auf dem Programm: Schülerinnen und Schüler der Klassenstufen 7 bis 9 der SIS Regensburg kamen für drei Tage nach Friedrichshafen. Der Besuch stand unter dem Motto »Zeppelin«, ein weiterer Schwerpunkt war das Konstanzer Konzil. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler
nahmen an einer Stadtführung durch Friedrichshafen teil, unternahmen einen Ausflug nach
Konstanz mit einem Besuch in einer Sonderausstellung zum Konstanzer Konzil, erhielten
eine Führung bei der Zeppelin-Luftschifftechnik und fuhren mit einem Katamaran auf dem
Bodensee. Sie lernten den Unterschied zwischen einem Blimp (ein Luftschiff ohne Gerüst)
und einem Zeppelin kennen, verkleideten sich als Königin, Kaufmann, Magd oder Schuljunge und erfuhren so mehr über mittelalterliche Mode und Wappen, aßen Eis am See und
schlossen viele Freundschaften – es war ein großer Erfolg!
Student Exchange II: Hockey Tournament Zurich – Friedrichshafen
Jennifer Muller, Teacher SIS Friedrichshafen
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For the first time in the SIS Friedrichshafen school history, the students of grades 7 and
8 travelled to Zurich for a friendly field hockey tournament. After two hours in the bus,
students from our school and the Zurich SIS school were able to get to know each other
and mix teams for a fun day of field hockey. In the morning, students were mixed into eight
different teams with six players on each team. During our lunch break, students were able
to explore the SIS Zürich and mix with the students as well. The finals took place in the
afternoon with teams playing against the team they had even points with. Before our bus
ride home, there was an award ceremony where each student was able to pick a prize.
Student Exchange III: Sports Day Tamins – Friedrichshafen
Lisa Cummins, Principal SIS Tamins-Chur
When a giant travel bus filled with 60 children and 4 teachers rolled into Tamins with German license plates it meant one thing: Sports Day 2014 Tamins-Friedrichshafen! On this
fun day of friendly competition, grades 1 to 4 of our German sister primary school joined
us in our beautiful mountain setting for a day of activities, good sportsmanship, and new
friends. The schools were divided into eight teams: the Bears, the Hawks, the Tigers, the
Eagles, the Lions, the Wolves, the Panthers, and the Coyotes. The morning was spent
kicking balls, water relaying, moon hop frisbee throwing, hurdle puzzle running, potato
sack jumping, wooden ski racing, ball throwing, and trampoline basketball shooting. The
athletes reenergized with a nutrition packed outdoor lunch, and then competed in football
and Brennball tournaments. The day ended with an awards ceremony and an ice cream
surprise. As the giant travel bus rolled back out of Tamins, athletes were already excited
about what next year’s sports day will bring.
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SIS under Construction
Gesucht und gefunden: ein idyllisch gelegenes,
charmantes Schulhaus für die SIS Friedrichshafen
Johannes Linsenmeier, Projektmanager
Die SIS Friedrichshafen startete im September 2009 mit 35 Kindergartenkindern, Schülerinnen und Schülern in einer Etage im städtischen Max-Grünbeck-Haus, wo die SIS für die
ersten Jahre der Schule Räume angemietet hat. Mittlerweile besuchen 135 Schülerinnen
und Schüler den Kindergarten, die Grundschule und das Gymnasium und die Schülerzahlen werden in den kommenden Jahren weiterhin steigen. Auf der Suche nach einem geeigneten Schulhaus ist die SIS auf dem Fallenbrunnen-Areal fündig geworden – einem am
Stadtrand von Friedrichshafen gelegenen, ehemaligen Kasernengelände, das sich derzeit
zu einem Bildungscampus entwickelt. Dort wird eines der Gebäude zu einem Schulhaus
für die SIS umgebaut. Im Innenhof des u-förmigen Gebäudes wird zudem eine Turnhalle
für den Schulsport errichtet. Mit der Planung des Umbaus ist das Architekturbüro Hildebrand + Schwarz betraut, das mit den historischen Gebäuden im Fallenbrunnen viel Erfahrung hat.
Neue Raumstruktur
Da eine Schule größere Räume als eine Kaserne benötigt, werden die kleinen Raumstrukturen des Bestandes aufgebrochen und neu eingeteilt. Gleichzeitig wird das Gebäude aus
den 30er Jahren technisch und energetisch grundlegend überholt. Durch den Erhalt der
Fassade, die Freilegung des Dachstuhlgebälks in der Aula oder auch die Oberlichter mit
Halbrundbogen an den Zimmertüren bleibt jedoch das Wichtigste an einem historischen
Gebäude erhalten: der Charme der damaligen Architektur.
In dem umgebauten Schulhaus werden ein zweigruppiger Kindergarten, eine zweizügige
Grundschule und ein einzügiges Gymnasium Platz finden. Die Klassen- und Gruppenräume sowie die gemeinsam genutzten Fachräume für Kunst, Musik und Naturwissenschaften, die Mediathek sowie die Mensa verteilen sich auf insgesamt vier Ebenen. Lernnischen in den Fluren bieten die Möglichkeit, auch außerhalb der Unterrichtsräume konzentriert und bequem zu arbeiten; mehrere Gruppenräume stehen für unterschiedliche
Nutzungen zur Verfügung. Der Kindergarten bekommt einen separaten Eingang, die Räume haben direkten Zugang zum Außenbereich, idyllisch gelegen am Rand von Wiesen und
Obst­anlagen.
Umbauarbeiten sind in vollem Gang
Ende Juli 2014 fand der Spatenstich statt, seither hat sich viel getan. Nach dem Abbruch
der überflüssigen Innenwände und dem Einbau von Stahlträgern als Stabilitätsausgleich
wurden die technische Gebäudeausrüstung erneuert und das Dach saniert. Großzügig
angelegte Gauben werden für mehr Platz und Helligkeit in den oberen Klassen- und Fachräumen sowie in der Mensa sorgen. Die Wände der Sporthalle stehen bereits, ebenso der
Durchgang, der die Halle mit dem Schulgebäude verbindet, wo sich die Umkleideräume
befinden. In den kommenden Monaten liegt der Fokus nun auf dem Innenausbau.
Wir hoffen auf einen weiterhin störungsfreien Baufortschritt – denn die Kindergartenkinder,
Schülerinnen und Schüler sowie Eltern und Lehrkräfte der SIS Friedrichshafen können es
kaum erwarten, in ihr neues Schulhaus im Fallenbrunnen zu ziehen!
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On Learning
International Mindedness and its Significance
at SIS Schools
Roswitha Anderson, Pedagogical Quality Management
The actual interconnectedness of today’s world makes it imperative that schools develop
strategies to equip their students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes which lead to a
frame of mind called international mindedness. This would then enable students to not only
survive in an increasingly complex world but to actually impact on this world positively.
“International education and local insight” – two sides of the same coin chosen as the
motto of SIS schools which sums up the goal we aim at when developing SIS students’
competences. This motto requires that an attitude of international mindedness becomes
prevalent among the staff of SIS schools which can permeate the curriculum as well as
interactions on all levels. In an attempt to provide a sustainable and development friendly
environment for implementing this understanding, SIS schools in Germany offer or plan
to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as an option additional to
the Abitur. The programme explicitly aims at building competences supportive of international mindedness. This plan is owed not the least to the fact that the SIS student and
teacher population is diverse in nationality, culture and attitudes thus providing an ideal
setting to explore and foster mutual understanding and respect, the ability to view issues
from multiple perspectives and to find commonalities among differences to ensure fruitful
cooperation.
“International Mindedness is taught, not caught”
Students at SIS will benefit from the IB Diploma Programme which provides a particularly
convincing and structurally sustainable approach of teaching international mindedness.
George Walker, former IB director general, sums up his thoughts as follows: “International
mindedness is not acquired by some instinctive process of osmosis. It requires specific
interventions; a carefully designed programme of educational activities. It is taught, not
caught.”
International mindedness is anchored in the IB learner profile characterized by attributes
such as being open-minded, caring, reflective, principled and knowledgeable to just name
a few. Each subject teacher within the IB programme who is required to link his/her subject
content to a chosen attribute of the IB learner profile ensures that the students’ development in international mindedness is focused, structurally embedded and put in context of
an authentic learning situation.
Key Skill Languages
Bilingualism is another strand which further strengthens our students in understanding the
world and empowers them to take up its challenges as they continue to develop mastery
of the target language and use this knowledge in diverse contexts. This skill can hardly be
overrated in its effects of gaining an ever increasing insight into the thinking and culture of
people in countries where the target language is spoken. It also prompts them to look at
themselves and their own culture in light of new knowledge which invariably broadens their
outlook on life and their perspectives.
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SIS Friedrichshafen
Celebrating Global Citizenship:
The Fascination with Different Experiences
Stefanie Hausmann, Principal, and Annette Steinlein, Secondary School Teacher
“A global citizen sees him- or herself and others as first and foremost, human. A global
citizen thus does not discriminate based on nationality, race, gender, religion, sexuality, or
any other secondary identities. Instead, a global citizen sees these differences as fascinating – as new things to be learned and respected. The beauty of being able to learn from
every individual, place, and event amazes a global citizen, and they also recognize that
they have something to offer. Every single person has had a different experience from all
others; the fascination in these different experiences characterizes a global citizen (…).”
(Source: http://youngglobalcitizen.com)
Each school year, SIS Friedrichshafen dedicates a week to celebrating global citizenship
and specifically International Day – although we believe, in fact, that we celebrate these
themes on a regular basis at our school. If one looks at our SIS community, it is clear that
we are an international community, with teachers, students and families coming from all
over the world. Being a bilingual school also enables us to diversify our community.
Activities with a World Perspective
Throughout our global citizenship term, all grade levels concentrated on a similar goal:
guiding students to become more aware of cultural, social, physical and language differences. This goal was reached through various types of activities which helped our
students to open their perspectives to the world and see beyond their everyday lives. Our
preschool children talked about Japan and its culture, food and language with the help of
one of our preschool children and her family who come from Japan. The primary school
students looked at schools in other countries, especially at a day in the life of a student
in Uganda. The secondary school students focused on the question of how children in
different countries get to school and which difficulties are often involved in overcoming
those distances.
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Realization of Differences
For that purpose we watched a documentary film called “On the way to school” which
describes with striking imagery how students get to school and which distances they have
to overcome to reach their schools – which would form an excellent basis for an adventure
film. And yet this daily exhausting travel experience covering up to 15 kilometers is just an
every-day obstacle that Jackson, Zahira, Carlito and Samuel, the main characters in the
film, are willing to take upon themselves. These children possess the common awareness
that school education is important for their future and that it can change their lives because
learning in school is the key factor to realize their future wishes. “Only after watching the
film about the school ways of Jackson, Carlito, Samuel and Zahira, I realized how lucky we
are. We take education for granted and many students do not value it sufficiently. In other
countries, children struggle and work for education although the lessons often take place
without any books or other materials. Even if some of them have to walk 15 kilometers to
school passing through deserts and mountains, they enjoy learning and are willing to bear
these burdens. We should be aware of that situation because we have great project days
and we can develop ourselves freely at school. I definitely learned to value lessons and
education!” comments grade 7 student Mia Valter.
The aim of our International Days in secondary school was that our students concern
themselves intensively with the film heroes and their home countries, biographies and attitude towards education including the obstacles they have to face like poverty, disabilities
or discrimination based on gender. The full realization of these children’s plight makes us
truly see the difference when comparing this to our own school days and experiences.
Valuable Lessons
Dedicating a project day to this topic and implementing it into the school day for a whole
term has caused a special awareness in our student body throughout all levels. The questions asked, the discussions coming up, and the pieces of writing that were composed
demonstrated clearly that the level of understanding was a lot more sophisticated and on
a higher sensitivity level than would ever have been possible by reading about it in a text
book. We are very fortunate to be able to learn such valuable lessons from our school
community.
15
SIS Ingolstadt
Mein Vater spricht Punjabi …
Robert Parr, Schulleiter
Ein Aspekt von international mindedness ist Mehrsprachigkeit, d.h. sich in mehr als einer Sprache verständigen zu können. Mehrsprachig zu sein hilft uns dabei, mit anderen Menschen eine Beziehung aufzubauen, ihre Geschichte sowie ihre
Erfahrungen verstehen zu können. Der Linguist Frank Smith hat es folgendermaßen formuliert: One language sets you in
a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.
An der SIS Swiss International School Ingolstadt und an allen anderen SIS-Schulen sprechen die Mitarbeiterinnen und
Mitarbeiter, die Schülerinnen und Schüler in zwei Sprachen. Außerhalb der Schule, also zu Hause mit der Familie oder
Freunden, kommunizieren viele in einer dritten oder sogar vierten Sprache.
Sahib Singh, 5 Jahre
Geburtsort: Ulm
Mutter aus: Delhi (Indien)
Vater aus: Großbritannien
Sprachen: Punjabi, Englisch, Deutsch
Ich bin fast 6 Jahre alt. Zu Hause spricht mein Vater Punjabi mit mir und meine Mutter Englisch. Deutsch habe ich im Kindergarten gelernt. Ich spreche es mit meinen Erzieherinnen und meinen Freunden. Ich beherrsche Deutsch und Englisch
sehr gut. Wenn ich groß bin, möchte ich noch Filipino, Spanisch, Italienisch und Französisch lernen. Ich weiß schon, was
»hallo« auf Französisch heißt: »Bonjour«.
Adriana Soneira, 6 Jahre
Geburtsort: Barcelona (Spanien)
Mutter aus: Asturien (Spanien)
Vater aus: Asturien (Spanien)
Sprachen: Spanisch, Katalanisch, Deutsch, Englisch
Meine Mutter und mein Vater stammen beide aus Asturien im Norden Spaniens. Zu Hause mit meinen Eltern spreche
ich Spanisch. Bevor wir im Januar dieses Jahres nach Deutschland gekommen sind, haben wir in Barcelona gelebt. Im
Kindergarten dort habe ich Katalanisch gelernt, das ich mit meinen Freunden gesprochen habe. In der Schule spreche
ich Deutsch und Englisch. Ich mag beide Sprachen sehr gerne, aber Spanisch empfinde ich als meine Erstsprache.
Ben Quisthoudt, 10 Jahre
Geburtsort: Frankfurt am Main
Mutter aus: Ungarn
Vater aus: Belgien
Sprachen: Ungarisch, Englisch, Deutsch, Flämisch
16
Meine Mutter kommt aus Ungarn, daher spricht sie Ungarisch mit mir. Mein Vater stammt aus Belgien, aber er spricht
Englisch mit mir. Ich verstehe außerdem ein bisschen Flämisch. In der Schule spreche ich Deutsch und Englisch, wobei
mein Englisch besser ist als mein Deutsch. Nächstes Jahr in der 6. Klasse lerne ich noch Französisch. Als meine Erstsprache sehe ich Ungarisch an, das ich (zusammen mit Englisch) auch am liebsten spreche.
Nomingoo, 15 Jahre, und Uulengo Zolzaya, 7 Jahre
Geburtsort: Ulan-Bator (Mongolei) und Ingolstadt
Mutter aus: Erdenet (Mongolei)
Vater aus: Ulan-Bator (Mongolei)
Sprachen: Deutsch, Mongolisch, Englisch und Französisch
Ich, Nomingoo, bin in der Mongolei geboren, aber in Deutschland aufgewachsen und ich spreche mit unseren Eltern
Mongolisch. Meine kleine Schwester Uulengo ist in Deutschland geboren und antwortet unseren Eltern oft auf Deutsch.
Als meine Erstsprache sehe ich Mongolisch an, für Uulengo ist die Erstsprache Deutsch. Mit einer Freundin meiner Mutter lerne ich zurzeit Koreanisch und Japanisch. Uulengo möchte noch Französisch lernen.
Stefania Pieldner
Geburtsort: Rumänien
Mutter aus: Rumänien
Vater aus: Rumänien
In Deutschland seit: 1995
Sprachen: Rumänisch, Deutsch
An der SIS arbeite ich als Küchenchefin. Nach dem Umzug nach Deutschland und besonders nach der Geburt unserer
Tochter haben wir zu Hause eher Deutsch gesprochen, später auch vermehrt Rumänisch. Mittlerweile sprechen wir zu
Hause ein Sprachgemisch aus Rumänisch und Deutsch. In der Arbeit spreche ich grundsätzlich Deutsch, mit meinen
direkten Arbeitskollegen in der Küche allerdings Rumänisch. Aus meiner Schulzeit verstehe ich noch ein bisschen Russisch und Französisch. In Zukunft würde ich gerne mein Englisch verbessern.
Nell Delport
Geburtsort: Pretoria (Südafrika)
Mutter aus: Südafrika
Vater aus: Südafrika
In Deutschland seit: 2012
Sprachen: Afrikaans, Englisch und Deutsch
Ich unterrichte Ethik, IT und Geographie in englischer Sprache an der SIS Ingolstadt. Geboren und aufgewachsen bin
ich in Südafrika. Dort spreche ich Afrikaans mit meiner Mutter und Englisch mit meinem Vater und meinen Brüdern. Ich
bin also bilingual aufgewachsen. In der Schule haben wir Zulu gelernt. Darüber hinaus verstehe ich etwas Sotho und
ein bisschen Chinesisch. Zu Hause mit meinem Mann sprechen wir einen Mix aus Afrikaans, Englisch und Deutsch.
In naher Zukunft werde ich mich auf meine Deutschkenntnisse konzentrieren, sehr gerne würde ich irgendwann noch
Spanisch lernen.
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SIS Kassel
Toleranz, Weltoffenheit und Zweisprachigkeit
als Schlüssel zur Zukunft
Sebastian Koch, Schulleiter
Die SIS Kassel startete im September 2014 mit einer Eingangsklasse und den Klassen­
stufen 1 bis 3 der Grundschule. Rund 45 Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Deutschland,
Spanien, Portugal, Korea, der Türkei, Russland, Australien und Ägypten lernen seitdem in
unserer bilingualen Ganztagesschule.
Homaira Ezzat, Mutter unserer Schülerin Hawa, und Nicole Mitreska, Lehrerin an der SIS
Kassel, haben in einem Interview erzählt, welche Bedeutung ein internationales Bewusstsein und eine internationale Schule für sie haben. Homaira Ezzat kommt aus Sydney in
Australien. Sie hat zwei Töchter, die beide mehrsprachig mit den Sprachen Englisch, Dari
und Deutsch aufwachsen. Nicole Mitreska kommt ursprünglich aus Kassel und hat die
vergangenen 12 Jahre mit ihrer Familie und ihren drei Töchtern in Hertfordshire in England
gelebt. Sie unterrichtete dort als Vertretungslehrerin in verschiedenen englischen Grundschulklassen.
Welche Bedeutung hat Internationalität für Dich?
Nicole Mitreska: Mein Auslandsaufenthalt trug nicht nur dazu bei, fachliche Kenntnisse
wie die Beherrschung einer Fremdsprache weiterzuentwickeln, sondern erforderte auch
eine unermüdliche Bereitschaft, auf unbekannte Menschen zuzugehen. Auch für meine
Kinder war das Zu-Hause-Sein in zwei verschiedenen Ländern eine Selbstverständlichkeit. Durch die zweisprachige Erziehung war es meinen Kindern immer möglich, schnell
neue Kontakte zu finden, sei es nun bei unseren Kurzurlauben in Deutschland, anderen
europäischen Ländern oder beim alltäglichen Leben in England.
Welche Rolle spielt die internationale Ausrichtung an der SIS Kassel?
Homaira Ezzat: Durch die multikulturelle Gemeinschaft und insbesondere durch den
zweisprachigen Unterricht ist die SIS Kassel eine internationale Schule, die uns zeigt, dass
Unterricht in zwei Sprachen funktioniert. Die Kinder lernen hier bereits sehr früh, dass
es keine Sprachbarrieren gibt. Durch Sprache wird der Lernprozess des Verstehens und
Respektierens des Landes, in dem die Kinder leben, und der jeweiligen Kultur gefördert.
Und da die Schüler Englisch als zweite Sprache lernen, erwerben und entwickeln sie die
Kompetenz, offen gegenüber anderen Ländern und Menschen zu sein bzw. zu werden.
Nicole Mitreska: Die SIS Kassel verbindet viele Menschen unterschiedlicher Kulturen. Die
Fähigkeiten einer Person, mit anderen zu lernen und zu arbeiten, werden hier gefördert,
somit ist der Erwerb interkultureller Kompetenzen stets gewährleistet. Mit der Zeit lernen hier die Schülerinnen und Schüler, warum Menschen anderer Länder anders handeln
oder denken, dieses Verhalten zu akzeptieren und damit umzugehen. In einer sich schnell
ändernden Welt sichert die internationale Ausrichtung der SIS Kassel ein Bewusstsein der
eigenen Lage und fördert Weltoffenheit und Toleranz – unerlässliche Eigenschaften.
18
Homaira Ezzat
mit Tochter Hawa
Worin spiegelt sich die internationale Ausrichtung im Schulalltag wider?
Nicole Mitreska: In verschiedenen Unterrichtsphasen lege ich großen Wert auf peer-feedback von den Schülerinnen und Schülern. Beispielsweise werden Plakatvorstellungen oder
Erzählungen einer Bildergeschichte kritisch hinterfragt und sowohl positive Anmerkungen
als auch Verbesserungsvorschläge seitens der Schülerinnen und Schüler angehört. Dies
erfordert Einfühlungsvermögen, aber auch Mut, sich immer wieder bereit zu erklären, sich
einer solchen Unterrichtsphase auszusetzen. Doch so lernen alle die Meinung anderer
Kinder zu respektieren und wachsen zu verantwortungsvollen, mutigen, fragenden und
kreativen Mitmenschen heran, die nicht zuletzt sozial aktiv und aufgeschlossen sind.
Nicole Mitreska
Welche Vorteile bietet eine internationale Ausrichtung oder Weltanschauung
für das spätere Leben?
Homaira Ezzat: Es ist sehr wichtig für mich, dass meine beiden Kinder aufgeschlossen
gegenüber anderen Nationalitäten und interessiert an anderen Kulturen aufwachsen. Das
sind Haltungen, die erlernt werden sollten und deren Erlernen auf keinen Fall erschwert
oder behindert werden sollte. Internationales Bewusstsein ist meiner Meinung nach der
Schlüssel zur Zukunft. Ich glaube, dass mein Kind durch den Besuch der SIS Kassel nicht
nur lernt, die verschiedenen Nationalitäten anderer Kinder oder Lehrkräfte zu respektieren,
sondern auch offen gegenüber anderen zu sein und keine Vorurteile zu haben.
Esther und Min Chae, Schülerinnen der 3. Klasse, haben in einem Interview erklärt, was sie
über das Erlernen von Sprachen denken:
Welche Sprachen sprecht ihr beide denn?
Esther: Also, ich spreche Deutsch mit Papa, Französisch mit Mama und in der Schule
lerne ich Englisch.
Min Chae: Zu Hause mit Mama und Papa spreche ich Koreanisch, in der Schule Deutsch
und Englisch. Zu Hause spreche ich auch Englisch, wenn mein jüngerer Bruder etwas mal
absichtlich nicht verstehen soll!
Habt ihr schon mal andere Sprachen gehört bzw. kennengelernt?
Esther: Im Urlaub in Dänemark wollte ein Mädchen mit mir spielen, allerdings habe ich
nicht verstanden, was sie gesagt hat. Wir haben uns trotzdem gut verstanden und gespielt!
Min Chae: Als ich mit meinen Cousinen in Paris war, konnte ich gar nichts verstehen und
habe mich etwas unsicher gefühlt.
Warum, glaubt ihr, ist es hilfreich später mehrere Sprachen zu sprechen?
Min Chae und Esther
Esther: Man kann auf jeden Fall mit vielen Leuten kommunizieren.
Min Chae: Wenn man in einem anderen Land ist, kann man die Leute besser verstehen.
Wir danken Homaira Ezzat, Nicole Mitreska, Esther und Min Chae für das Interview!
19
SIS Regensburg
Local Traditions in a Global Context:
Celebration of Lights
Verena Simpson, Principal
As a school with international education and local insight and in order to foster international mindedness, we make an effort to place local traditional celebrations in a global
context. The goal is for our students to look at situations from different perspectives.
In connection with celebrations, we want our students to understand why we have a
particular event here in our area and why other people from other cultures may have
other festivals instead. Therefore, we decided to place the traditional Martin’s Parade on
11 November in a larger context and organize a celebration of lights together with students and parents of preschool and grades 1 and 2.
The Significance of St. Martin
The learning started in the classrooms: The preschool children learned who St. Martin
was, what he did and what impact he has on us even today. They also talked about the
significance of sharing and the role of the Martin’s Parade with the purpose to remember
him and his act of kindness. The preschool children were excited to practice a small play
and songs in preparation for the celebration of lights.
Swedish Tradition of Santa Lucia
The focus for grades 1 and 2 was on Santa Lucia – the Swedish Festival of Light. They
learned that in winter time, the days up north in Scandinavia are very short, and the nights
long and dark. But on 13 December, Santa Lucia comes to tell the people that darkness
is nearing its end, and soon, the light will come back again. In order to celebrate this, the
eldest daughter of the household dresses up in a long white gown. She wears a crown of lit
candles on her head, and early in the morning, she comes to her parents’ bedroom with a
tray of “lussekatter” (saffron cookies) and a drink. The song of Santa Lucia is sung, as well
as several other traditional songs about Lucia and the light returning soon. After learning
about Santa Lucia, the students practiced the traditional Santa Lucia in order to share it
with the audience at the celebration of lights.
Diwali in India
Another part of the primary school students learned about a variety of festivals in different cultures as part of their ethics lesson. In preparation for the celebration of lights, they
presented about Diwali – the Indian light festival. In order to make the learning as authentic as possible, some grade 1 and 2 parents were involved in ethics as well as arts and
crafts lessons, contributing their knowledge and creative expertise. They brought wonderful artefacts, costumes and special foods to share with the children and talked to them
about the different celebrations, such as Diwali and the Sugar Festival. “We want to know
all about all the festivals and religions because the children in our school have different
religions. We want to learn about each other and find out what is happening in other countries,” says Hanna, grade 2 student. And Caspian, grade 2 student as well, thinks that “it is
interesting to find out about each other because we are all different.”
20
A Mother’s Perspective
Aliya Ayaz, mother of two daughters at SIS Regensburg, is originally from India and
supported our students in learning about the Indian Diwali celebration: “I was happy to
interact with the first and second graders during their ethics class. As I come from India, I
spoke to the kids about the Indian festivals, festivals of Islam and the stories around them
and I shared my experiences. They were very excited to know the different cultures and
festivals of other religions. They showed a lot of interest which was apparent through the
several queries they put to me. This was a two way learning where they got first hand information through me and I learnt authentic teaching. This interaction also enhanced the acceptability for the differences in cultures and the way of life. From going through the slides
of Mosques around the world and Eid celebration to making of Rangoli patterns and clay
lamps, children were not only surprised to know new traditions but they also expressed
how similar it is among different cultures to celebrate with lights, sweets and gifts. A
perfect picture of unity in diversity. Personally I was happy to see the international environment of the classroom. Now I am even more satisfied by the pedagogical methods of the
school which are not only friendly but diverse and innovative. At the end I was elated to
hear some children say to each other that it was their best lesson of the day. It will always
be my pleasure to be a part of such learning activities.”
Celebration of Lights
On the day of 11 November, parents, teachers and students of the SIS Regensburg school
community came together for the big event. As it was St. Martin’s day, the main focus
was on the play and the parade with lanterns. The children were very proud to carry their
bright and shining lanterns through the dark. After the parade, grade 1 and 2 students
shared what they have learned about Santa Lucia and were excited to present their song.
Thereafter the students presented their knowledge about Diwali as well as some beautiful
artwork to their audience. The preschool parent council supported the event by decorating
our school building with beautiful lights as well as food and drinks from different countries
and cultures!
21
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach
IB Diploma Students Retreat:
What is International Mindedness?
Roswitha Anderson, IB Coordinator SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach
“We defined international mindedness as the ability to observe and analyse the world out
of different perspectives and to be able to understand them and to be able to look critically
on them.” Ulrich Ziegler, grade 11
Grade 11 students from SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach, who represent the first International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma class at this school, had the opportunity to debate the significance
of international mindedness as an essential quality of education in today’s world during
their two-day IB and Abitur retreat at Kloster Lorch at the beginning of the school year
2014/15. The retreat included an extensive guided tour of the historical cloister as well as a
falconry show. It was a special time out for our students to signal the start of a new chapter in their educational experience. The retreat was organized to provide an opportunity to
focus particularly on the core elements of the IB Diploma Programme such as Theory of
Knowledge (ToK), IB learner profile and Creativity, Action, Service (CAS).
Develop a Common Understanding
“International mindedness means to think beyond one’s own immediate environment, i.e.
to also be interested in and reflect on international relations and conflicts.” Larissa Sorg,
grade 11
The IB Diploma model incorporates the development of international mindedness into its
two-year programme in a structured manner seeking to address the challenges which
originate from an ever growing interconnectedness of people and nations. The IB students
took up the challenge of finding a common understanding and definition of the meaning of
international mindedness. During this task it became evident quite quickly that the most
common strand of any definition points to the complexity and global interdependence of
life around the globe. Culture, politics, economics, climate and education are all part of the
shaping influence of globalization. In an attempt to gain deeper insight into the meaning
of international mindedness, the students also took a look at the universal declaration of
human rights which underpin the mindset of international mindedness.
“International mindedness means to focus international attention on ethical problems in
the world and to propose acceptable solutions on either side.” Marvin Berben, grade 11
22
Different Aspects
“Education for international mindedness values the world as the broadest context for
learning, develops conceptual understanding across a range of subjects and offers
opportunities to inquire, act and reflect.” Julian Kuhn, grade 11
Within the context of the IB curriculum, international mindedness is considered a building
block to be woven into the teaching of each IB subject enabling students to see the world
from different perspectives thus generating understanding and empathy for different view
points and interests. The skill to critically reflect upon one’s own view point represents
another important aspect of developing international mindedness.
The acquisition of English as a global language marks yet another component which points
to the necessity of a shared language as a prerequisite for understanding each other
better.
Although time did not allow for sufficient discussion of all aspects of international mindedness, our grade 11 students are acutely aware of the important nature of this attitude as is
borne out in their comments.
“What I liked particularly at our retreat and our shared time at Kloster Lorch were the
discussions about international mindedness among others. The common search for and
realization of the definition as well as current examples taken from our lives gave us a deep
understanding of the subject and the two words.” Marc-Olivier Sommer, grade 11
Awareness of people’s interdependence in today’s world to a degree never before experienced certainly is a cornerstone for international education to make a positive difference
in empowering young people of this earth to influence the world positively through the
mindset of international mindedness.
23
www.swissinternationalschool.de
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach
SIS Kassel
SIS Regensburg
SIS Swiss International School
Stuttgart-Fellbach
Schmidener Weg 7/1
D-70736 Fellbach
Phone +49 711 469 194 10
Fax +49 711 469 194 30
SIS Swiss International School
Kassel
Johanna-Waescher-Straße 15
D-34131 Kassel
Phone +49 561 316 68 30
Fax +49 561 316 68 329
SIS Swiss International School
Regensburg
Erzbischof-Buchberger-Allee 23
D-93051 Regensburg
Phone +49 941 99 25 930 0
Fax +49 941 99 25 930 29
info.fellbach@swissinternationalschool.de
info.kassel@swissinternationalschool.de
info.regensburg@swissinternationalschool.de
SIS Friedrichshafen
SIS Ingolstadt
SIS Swiss International School
Friedrichshafen
Katharinenstraße 55
D-88045 Friedrichshafen
Phone +49 7541 700 57 60
Fax +49 7541 700 57 62
SIS Swiss International School
Ingolstadt
Stinnesstraße 1
D-85057 Ingolstadt
Phone +49 841 981 44 60
Fax +49 841 981 446 19
info.friedrichshafen@swissinternationalschool.de
info.ingolstadt@swissinternationalschool.de
SIS Kassel
SIS Regensburg
SIS Stuttgart-Fellbach
SIS Ingolstadt
SIS Friedrichshafen