We are one month into learning from our homes and one thing is for sure; We miss our school! From the students, coming into school, some with big smiles, some with not so big smiles, to the facilitators always ready to welcome students at the beginning of the day, to the attendants ensuring that the school is clean and safe for daily activities to take place, to Parents who drop off these lovely eagles each morning and pick them up after school. We definitely miss school.

However, another thing is for sure; One month into the lockdown, we have come a long way as lifelong learners, who strive to Inspire, Empower and Transform for a better world. Even though working remotely from a computer is not new to anyone at ARIS, this lockdown has pushed us to enhance our abilities tech wise.

Learning virtually, over the course of one month has been fun! Students are always excited to see what their fantastic facilitators have in store for them. They participate in all Units of Inquiry, courses, or subjects, via Zoom meetings, Google Classroom, Seesaw, Managebac, etc. Facilitators have also exhibited their risktaking skills as they ventured into new and fun ways to keep their classes active and lively. This has seen the introduction of new digital tools such as Flipgrid, Pixton and Turtle Diaries.

One big addition to our Virtual learning journey is Sandy’s Surprise. We are sure any follower of the ARIS Social media pages knows the jingle to this fun segment. Introduced by PYP Coordinator, Mme. Sandeepa, this show is made up of tasks and challenges that PYP Eagles are asked to complete each day, at 10:00 am! The story of Sandy Surprise has been published and featured on AISA BOMA Stories!

Supporting our students too has not been a problem, as our PLD team has been a hands-on team from the get-go! Art Therapist, Sarah Wilson has also provided the communities with activities to do to ensure wellbeing through art!

All in all, it has been a very exciting journey, and we will continue on this journey to Inspire, Empower and Transform, one e-lesson at a time!