IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

April - June 2006

Japan and Korea

Workshops

Many thanks to Kevin Baker, Principal of Seoul Foreign School, and John Switzer, DP Coordinator, for hosting the rescheduled Korean A1 workshop from 17 to 19 March.

Many thanks also to Karin Caffin, the Head of Osaka International School, and Gwyn Underwood, High School Principal/MYP Coordinator for hosting the first all three-programme workshops in this sub-region. OIS offered the following range of language workshops: 1)ESL in PYP, Reading, 2)Reading, Writing and Inquiry in PYP, 3)MYP Language B, 4)MYP Language A (with a Japanese interpreter for Japanese teachers), 5)MYP Japanese B, 6)DP Japanese ab initio, 7)DP Japanese B, 8)DP Japanese A2, and 9)DP Japanese A1. At Osaka International School, it was very nice to have teachers and workshop leaders from all over the Asia Pacific region as well as from Cardiff Roxane Vigneault, Group 2 Subject Area Manager at IBCA.

Association and Networks

Association of International Baccalaureate Schools in Japan and Korea

The Diploma Coordinators belonging to the Association of IB Schools in Japan and Korea met on 29 May at Seisen International school in Tokyo. The AIBSIJK meets twice a year and it is an association of the Heads and Coordinators of the IB World Schools. Each of the IB World Schools in this sub-region shares the responsibility of holding the office for a term of two years. The current Chair is Kevin Baker, Principal of Seoul Foreign School together with John Switzer, DP Coordinator of SFS, who has been the Co-Chair of the AIBSIJK. When the two-year term of SFS ends this June, the office of the AIBSIJK will move to Osaka International School.

Members present at the September AIBSIJK meeting were Kevin Baker (Principal, Seoul Foreign School), John Switzer(DP Coordinator, SFS), Neil Richards (Head,Yokohama International School), Stephen McIlroy (DP Coordinator, Yokohama International School), Melanie Vrba (DP Coordinator, Canadian Academy), Rich Nicolai (DP Coordinator, Seisen International School), Peter Heimer (DP Coordinator, Osaka International School), Karin Caffin (Head, Osaka International School, RHC Representative), Peter Hauet (DP Coordinator, St. Mary’s International School), Toni Bell (PYP Coordinator, Seisen International school), Tim Matsumoto (DP Coordinator, St Maur International School), Carolyn Wagstaff (DP Coordinator, Hiroshima International School), Brother Michel (Head, St Mary’s International School), Alan Hamer(DP Coordinator, Katoh Gakuen), Darell Mann (MYP Coordinator, Katoh Gakuen), Mike Bostwick (Director, Katoh Gakuen), Damian Rentoulle (DP Coordinator, K International School Tokyo), Ken Gunther (DP Coordinator, Taejon Christian International School), Kyoko Bernard (IB Asia-Pacific Regional Representative for Japan and Korea).

Affiliated with the AIBSIJK are the PYP East Asia Network Group and the MYP East Asia Network Group.

MYP East Asia Network Group

I am delighted by the fact that the sub-region of Japan and Korea has an association and networks that encompass all three programmes now that I was able to inaugurate the MYP East Asia Network Group on 18 March 2006. Thanks once again to Karin Caffin, the Head of OIS, for hosting the inaugural meeting at Osaka International School. Those who attended the meeting chose Gwyn Underwood, Middle/High School Principal/ MYP Coordinator (OIS), as the Chair of this network group while Kazuhisa Hara, OIS teacher/MYP workshop leader, subsequently agreed to be Co-Chair.

In this inaugural meeting the Constitution was formulated and those present decided that the MYP Network Group to be an inclusive group for all the interested, implementing and authorized schools. Furthermore, the meeting was very productive and informative as Li Bin, IB Asia-Pacific MYP Programme Manager explained the MYP developments in the IBAP.

The inaugural meeting was attended by representatives from eight schools: Osaka International School, Linden Hall Elementary School, Tokyo Gakugei University Junior Senior High School Oizumi Campus, Tamagawa Gakuen, Immanuel College Adelaide, Aust., K International School, AICJ International School Hiroshima, Hiroshima International School.

Any persons wishing to join the group should email Gwyn Underwood at gunderwood@senri.ed.jp and Kyoko Bernard at japan@ibo.org

The second meeting is planned to be held around 15 September in Tokyo and will be linked with the JCIS and AIBSIJK meetings to be held around that date.

PYP East Asia Network Group

The PYP East Asia Network Group will miss Nancye and Ray Sullivan and Catherine Nicol as they are leaving this sub-region. They have been the key members of the PYP in Japan and Korea ever since I inaugurated the PYP Network Group in November 2003. I would like to wish them good luck and express my special thanks to them for their contribution.

The February PYP East Asia Network Group meeting was held at K. International School Tokyo and was organized and chaired by Terry Tiplady, PYP Coordinator at K. International School who is the Co-Chair of the PYP East Asia Network Group. Andrea Muller, PYP Regional Manager and Jo Leatham, PYP Associate Regional Manager attended the meeting and they not only spoke about the PYP development in the IB Asia-Pacific but also addressed such issues as the organization of workshops, and online professional development. Furthermore, J. Cowles of K. International School gave a presentation on Exhibition which generated very interesting discussions.

The February network meeting was attended by representatives from eight schools: K International School Tokyo, Seisen International School, European School of Kobe, Yokohama International School, Canadian International School, International School of Busan, Tokyo International School, Shonan International School.

The next meeting will be hosted by Tokyo International School on 1 December. As this is an inclusive network group, any persons interested in attending it should contact Terry Tiplady at pyp_co@kist.ed.jp and Kyoko Bernard at japan@ibo.org

Kyoko Bernard, Regional Representative Japan and Korea

Email: japan@ibo.org