M1

Welcome
to
M1
2011-2012
1

‘The distance is nothing. It is the first step that is
important.
This booklet has been created to help you in your transition to the MYP program here at
TISA. It contains important information to help you have a successful year in M1. It will
help to answer many of the questions you might have about life in M1.
Dear Parents and Students:
There will be some changes this year. You will have more
freedom and responsibility as you move up to TISA 3 and 4.
It may be a big adjustment but there are many people
including teachers, the principal, the counselor and other
students who will help you as you make the transition to
Middle School. You will have the opportunity to participate
in new and exciting after school activities, Community and
Service projects, discos and dances, Student Government
events and lots of great sporting activities. It is going to be a
great year.
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a great way to grow and learn in
M1
And some of it will be familiar to you. Just as you did in the PYP:
you’ll study a range of different subjects in interesting ways
you’ll show your understanding through a wide range of methods; not
just tests!
you’ll see the fascinating connections between your subjects
you’ll make connections with the real world
you’ll continue to grow into a global citizen – someone who cares about
our world and its inhabitants
you’ll be prepared for the world beyond school and you’ll have the
skills for success in your future
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Some of the areas in Middle School that may be new to you are:
Homeroom:
Each day you will meet in your homeroom so your teacher can take attendance
and to go over any important notices for the day
Tuesday mornings you will have a homeroom period to discuss issues that affect
you as a student, different aspects of the MYP, and learn ways to be a successful
student. On Tuesday, you will have an extra period finishing school at 3:30
instead of 2:50. (See the timetable at the back of this booklet).
Lunch and Break Times
Lunch and break times are an opportunity to catch up with your friends, prepare for
class or have some relaxing time.
o Break time is from 10:00 – 10:20. During this time you are free to use the
computers in the SRA (Student Resource Area in TISA 3), hang out by the lockers,
go to the library, lunch hall, or outside. All food and drink must be consumed
outside or in the lunch hall.
o Lunch is from 11:50 – 12:35. You can eat your lunch in the lunch hall or outside.
We expect you to tidy up after yourself. You are responsible for returning plates
and utensils to the lunch hall and making sure all rubbish is put away
After School
o After school, students are expected to be supervised in
an after school activity, in the library using school
resources, or leave the school.
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LET’S GET ORGANIZED!!
In M1 one of the most important skills to help you is
ORGANIZATION! Hopefully the information in this booklet and
the tips it provides will help you to get started on your journey
to being an organized student!
The secrets of success in M1...
Never be afraid or embarrassed to ask questions. If you
don’t understand something, chances are you aren’t the only one.
There is nothing wrong with making mistakes. It is how we learn.
Do your homework!
Take the responsibility to get caught up when you miss a class. Find out from
another classmate or the teacher what you have missed and complete it.
Come prepared to learn. This means that you should be on time, bring all of the
required equipment for the course and have a positive attitude.
Come in for extra help as soon as you get lost. Do not wait until the day before a
test, it might be too late!
Put time and effort into everything you do. Don’t hand anything in that isn’t your
best work.
Use time management skills. Do not wait until the night before an assignment to
complete it.
Hang in there! Your hard work will pay off!
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What Supplies Will I Need?
During break times you will have the chance to go to your locker and collect the
books you need. Please remember to leave your backpacks and bags in your locker or in
the racks beside your locker and take only the books and equipment you need to your
class. MP3 players and mobile phones should be left locked in your locker.
The following equipment should be brought to every class:
Equipment Checklist
o Writing utensils: For each class you will need a pencil, eraser, red pens, blue or
black pens, and, highlighter. Having a pencil case will make staying organized
much easier.
o Diary
o Textbooks
o Binders and Folders: Your subject teachers will provide you with a binder or
folder. It is your responsibility to keep these binders and folders organized with
your work.
o Notebooks: You will also receive a notebook from your teacher.
o Change of clothes (PE): you will require a TISA PE shirt and a change of clothes
for all PE lessons. Bring a towel if you want to shower.
Homework Diary – The essential tool to staying organized
Take it to each class!
Keep it on your bag and fill it in for every class.
Your organizer should be a reflection of you. Keep it neat.
Fill in the timetable on the back to help remember which classes you have each day.
Once a week both your parents and your homeroom teacher will sign your
homework diary to ensure you are using it properly. Have it filled in and get it
signed regularly.
Important information to include in your diary in each lesson:
o Subject
o Due Date
o Details about the assignment
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What About Homework?
Homework Tips
Homework is an important component of school as it helps you to practice and
review your lessons at home. You will be much more successful if you put in a consistent
effort to complete homework on a daily basis. In M1, you will have a different amount
of homework each night. You should expect that for each class you will be assigned one
hour of homework per week. This could total 1- 1 ½ hours on homework each night.
The subject and amount will vary depending on the day of the week, but it is still
important to be consistent. Be sure to plan ahead for bigger projects and assignments
by completing them a little at a time. It is important to complete each homework
assignment, as it will be checked and is part of your assessment for M1.
The most important things to remember when it comes to homework in M1 are:
o Let your teacher know if you are spending more than 1½ hours of homework per
night. Your teacher cannot help you with your homework load if they are
unaware of the problem.
o Time management skills are crucial in M1. Doing small amounts of large projects
each night will be much less stressful than waiting until the night before the due
date to complete it.
o Set aside one hour for homework every night. If you have no homework to
complete, use it to read a novel or the newspaper. This will help your reading
skills and keep you up to date with what is going on in the world – important
skills for an international school student.
o If you don’t understand the homework, ask the teacher. Together all homework
problems can be solved.
o Use the Significant Assignment notices on the TISA webpage (www.tisa.az) to
help you organize your time.
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Extra Help
Before a little problem becomes a big problem, come in and ask for help! All of your
teachers are available for help. Just ask for assistance and set up a time to get it!
What if I am away from School?
You can collect your missed work when you return to school or you can send
someone to your homeroom to collect it. Remember: it is your job to catch up on work
that you miss!
How am I expected to behave in M1?
Classroom expectations vary slightly from teacher to teacher but the overall
expectations are the same as in primary. All students are expected to be respectful of
the school environment, their teachers, and peers. You will be called upon to answer
questions. Please raise your hand if you want to give an answer or have a question. You
are also expected to help keep the classroom neat and tidy by putting everything away
after you use it.
Lockers
o You will be assigned your own locker in M1. Your locker is where you will keep all
of your books, your lunch and anything else it is not necessary to carry to class.
o You will be given a key for your locker at the beginning of the year. It is a VERY
good idea to have a copy of your locker key made so that you have a spare. Your
homeroom teacher can keep this copy for you in the classroom in case you
forget your original at home.
o Be sure to keep your locker tidy and clean.
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MYP Community & Service
What is Community and Service and how does it apply to me?
At TISA we believe students should develop a personal value system that guides their
own lives as thoughtful and active members of local and global communities. The MYP
Community and Service programme at TISA aims to develop:
Awareness and understanding of the needs of different communities and our
community in particular.
Reflection on the ethical implications of activity or inactivity within the
community, using personal strengths to enhance communities.
Involvement through service in terms of being an active contributor—including
showing willingness and the skills to respond to the needs of others and coming
up with solutions to actively resolve issues within communities.
You homeroom teacher will go through specific details of the MYP Community & Service
programme and what it is all about when the school year begins. M1 students are
required to participate in the community & service programme at TISA and a variety of
activities will be made available for them. In terms of a minimum number of required
hours, our M1 Community & Service programme has no such requirement. The
emphasis is upon ‘making a difference in our community’ - not counting hours.
Some examples of Community and Service projects from the 2010-2011 school year are:
Working with Jabrayil School in the REACH OUT program
Volunteering at TISA sports activities
Visiting children at Ishegli Ev Street kids Center
Outreach at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees
Raising money for Smile Train
You can find out more about our Community and Service program and what activities
the students participated in this year by logging into
http://tisacommunityservice.wetpaint.com/.
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After School Activities
After school activities are offered once at the beginning of each term.
Activities on offer change each term. There are many to choose from; art,
sports, community and service based activities, drama, and music. Some of
the activities on offer will allow you to claim Community and Service hours.
Important People
Here is a list of teachers and other staff that are important to M1’s. We have included
their email addresses too so that you and your family can contact them if you have any
questions or concerns.
Staff Member Role Email Address
Lesley Peacock Principal ssprincipal@tisa.az
Nadine Mains Pastoral Coordinator M1-2/ MYP myp@tisa.az
Coordinator
Nicola Dixon Community and Service
dixon_nicola@tisa.az
Coordinator
Sue Ogilvie M1A Homeroom Teacher Ogilvie_sue@tisa.az
Dilber Kuliyeva M1A Homeroom Teacher Kuliyeva_Dilber@tisa.az
Sean Tangey M1B Homeroom Teacher Tangey_sean@tisa.az
Basilia Mudzudzu M1B Homeroom Teacher Mudzudzu_basilia@tisa.az
Anne Kennedy M1C Homeroom Teacher Kennedy_anne@tisa.az
Ellen Childs M1C Homeroom Teacher Childs_ellen@tisa.az
Cheryl Travers Counselor Travers_cheryl@tisa.az
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Notes about M1
10

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My Timetable
This is a copy of your timetable. You can fill it in with the classes you will be taking and even colour code it if you want.
Time Periods Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:25-8:30 Homeroom Homeroom
Homeroom Homeroom Homeroom
Homeroom
8:30-9:15 1
9:15-10:00 2
10:00-10:20 Recess Recess Recess Recess Recess Recess
10:20-11:05 3
11:05-11:50 4
11:50-12:35 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
12:35-13:20 5
13:20-14:05 6
14:05-14:50 7
14:50-15:30 8
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