EARLY YEARS (EYP)
Ms Pham Thi Huong Tra
IB EYP Coordinator
The collaboration between families and schools is essential to create a supportive, consistent, and enriching learning environment aimed at promoting comprehensive development and success in the education of students. When families and schools work together as partners in education, children will develop strongly academically, socially, and emotionally.
During the seminar “Unlocking the Curriculum – Parent Guide” held on October 14, 2023, parents gained a better understanding of the school’s perspectives and methods in the curriculum. Particularly, when participating in the classroom environment of their children, engaging directly with teaching aids and materials, parents were delighted and felt the joy and happiness of experiencing inquiry-based learning activities.
Let’s look back on the joyful moments cherished by the parents during their participation in the seminar and classroom activities.
Ms Tran Thi Ngoc Trinh
Early Years Teacher
Outdoor play activities foster children’s agility and adaptation to the natural environment, while also promoting their confidence and resilience in life. Play is the primary activity through which children learn and engage. Consequently, children gradually develop their intellectual, physical, and socio-emotional skills, aiming for comprehensive personality development. Through outdoor activities, children can harness their proactive and positive mindset. At the same time, they experience comfort and relaxation while breathing the fresh air of the surrounding natural environment.
Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang
Early Years Teacher
A new spring begins. Everyone is excited, eagerly anticipating the biggest festival of the year: Tet holiday. The little ones in class F1 are no exception. They are curious when they see the Tet atmosphere becoming warm, no longer cold like winter. The apricot trees in the school yard also start to bloom, with some blossoms bursting into bright yellow flowers, “docked” on small, beautiful cards. Children also learn to “wrap” white cabbage leaves into green, red, orange colors, or make bubble baths with orange peel oil. Colorful lucky money envelopes painted by the children’s own hands bring more joy than any toys. Meaningful Tet wishes are also memorized by the children to send to grandparents, parents when Tet comes. They try their best to practice the dance “Spring Fairy” in preparation for the Spring Flower Festival. The children in class F1 wish everyone a peaceful and happy new year!
Ms Pham Thi Thanh Phuc
Early Years Teacher
The spring atmosphere is overflowing everywhere at Tesla. Every day at school, the children learn something new and interesting about traditional holidays. Whether it’s a traditional dish, a typical custom, the good meaning of red envelopes, or even more fascinating, the vibrant colored flowers usually present during the holiday.
Interesting questions are raised by the students in each lesson, and along with that, knowledge is supplemented through simple fun activities. Ultimately, the students themselves will be the ones to decorate to make the spring days even more colorful and vibrant.
A Tet decoration activity in class F2 helps the students further understand the significance of beautiful traditions, while also cultivating patience and carefulness within them
Ms Tran Thi Hong Tham
Early Years Teacher
During the end of year, it’s the time when children learn about and experience the traditional beauty of Vietnamese Tet customs. In this project, they will gain a clear understanding of the significance and experience traditional folk games, wrapping Tet cakes, decorating the five-fruit tray… We want the children to feel that atmosphere and help them understand the beauty of traditional customs amidst the busy life and conveniences of modern life, where people are gradually losing the charm of Tet, with its beautiful traditional customs. Therefore, creating opportunities for children to participate in Tet preparation and celebration activities is a way for them to feel and remember the values
Ms Dam Le Thuy Tien
Early Years Teacher
The New Year of the Tiger is coming very close, blending in with the nationwide atmosphere of celebration for the Party and the Lunar New Year. To help the students understand the significance of wrapping banh tet on the traditional Tet holiday of the Vietnamese people, the KG students (Phu Nhuan) have participated in various experiential activities such as wrapping banh tet, playing folk games, singing and dancing to celebrate the spring, making clay figurines, taking Tet photos, etc. With the theme ‘TET SUM VAY’ (meaning ‘Tet in harmony’), it feels very close to the hearts of the students. Through these activities, the students gain confidence in communication, develop skills, become more courageous and confident in activities, and understand more about the traditional Tet of the Vietnamese people.
Ms Ta Thi Anh Trinh
EAL – Teacher
Which class is the most interesting for kids in Tesla? Phonics class! In phonics class, students not only learn about letters but also discover about sounds. Learning phonics will be not boring cause students will engage in some fun and amazing games/activities, learn some new songs and vocabularies. Let’s take a look back at some of the best moments of a daily Phonics class at Tesla school.
PRIMARY YEARS (PYP)
Ms Nguyen Thi Minh Ha
IB PYP Coordinator
You may have heard the term “agency in learning” before, but what does it mean in the context of the PYP? Agency in learning is the ability and opportunity for students, teachers, and the school community to make choices and take actions related to their learning. It is based on the belief that students are active participants in their own learning and can influence their learning environment and outcomes.
At Tesla Education, we value and promote agency in learning, empowering students, teachers, and the school community with the ability and opportunity to make choices and take actions related to their learning, as well as in school events.
Ms Tang Tuong Phuong Hoang
IB Teacher – KG Homeroom Teacher
During the Lunar New Year, every family typically cannot do without traditional dishes. ‘Bánh trôi nước’ or ‘chè trôi nước’ is one of the ancient traditional dishes of the Vietnamese people with significant meanings. Recently, the kindergarten class had an exciting hands-on experience making ‘chè trôi nước.’ Through this activity, students gained a better understanding of the simple steps in preparing the dish, the basic ingredients needed to make ‘chè trôi nước.’ They practiced the skillful manipulation of their hands, learned to divide and roll dough, and flatten it to encase the filling. In addition, students showed creativity in creating small dough balls with various shapes and sizes. Finally, enjoying the dish they made themselves also contributes to instilling more love and confidence in traditional food for the children.
Ms Bui Thi Hong Minh
IB Teacher – Grade 1 Homeroom Teacher
To kick off the new learning theme ‘How we express ourselves,’ Grade 1 students will embark on a journey to explore the distinctive features of cultures around the world by learning about Lunar New Year. During the lesson, they will explore the customs and traditions of Vietnam, the traditional activities that take place during Tet, as well as the legend of the Twelve Zodiac Animals. This will help them develop understanding and pride in their cultural identity.
In particular, they will participate in preparing for an activity at the Tet Fair. They will instruct others on how to make red envelopes, an important tradition during Tet in Vietnam. Through this, they will not only experience the joy of sharing culture but also develop communication and instructional skills, while expanding their horizons by exploring various cultures worldwide. This fosters curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, which is crucial for their development in the futur.
Ms Nguyen Thi Diem Trinh
IB Teacher – Grade 2 Homeroom Teacher
During the days leading up to Tet, the atmosphere in the classroom seems livelier. Everyone is eagerly looking forward to the upcoming festive days in this cool weather. In Grade 2, the students have learned about the traditional customs of Vietnam and some Asian countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan. They have recognized one commonality among these countries during Tet, which is cleaning and decorating homes. Grade 2 students have practiced making peach blossom and apricot blossom trees to better understand the significance of Tet decorations, which not only beautify living spaces but also strengthen bonds with their family and friends.
Ms Nguyen Hoang An Khanh
IB Teacher – EAL
In this engaging unit, Kindergarten students embarked on an exciting exploration of the world through the theme of travel. As part of their learning journey, the young learners created their own passports and delved into the intricacies of airport processes. Today’s collaborative class, featuring both Homeroom (HR) and English as an Additional Language (EAL) subjects, reached new heights as the students participated in a dynamic role-play scenario set at the airport. This hands-on experience not only deepened their understanding but also allowed them to apply their knowledge in a fun and interactive way, fostering a holistic approach to learning.
Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh Sang
IB Teacher – Grade 3 Homeroom Teacher
With the theme “How We Organize Ourselves,” students are exploring the central idea: “Everyone has a role and responsibility in the community.” Students had an exciting field trip to Epsilon – Furniture House and Showroom. This trip was an opportunity for students to interview various professions to understand the roles and responsibilities of those professions in the community and society. Additionally, they will learn about the technical process of designing a furniture product. During the trip, students observed and drew conclusions about the positive and negative impacts of human activities on the surrounding environment, which is also part of the content they are researching.
Ms Nguyen The Uyen
IB Teacher – Grade 4 Homeroom Teacher
Grade 4 students have collectively delved into the topic of “Where we are in place and time.” They actively engaged in learning activities to study the changes in Vietnam between the past and present regarding currency, transportation, tools, and more through learning platforms such as Britannica, Padlet, reference books in the library, and real-life images and artifacts at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum. Based on the information they researched, they worked together in groups to compare society in the past and present, as well as to explain the reasons behind these changes.
Ms Doan Thi Huynh Hanh
IB Teacher – Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher
Term 2 concludes with a summative assessment about how students present their messages to their future selves. This is a message addressed to the students themselves, presented in various forms. Although the content difficulty is not too high, it requires students to know how to present clearly and contain a lot of information in front of the class.
Following Term 3 is Unit 4 with the theme “How do we plan and organize our lives?” kicking off with a tuning in activity to explore key ideas and concepts about social issues. The transdisciplinary lesson between Ms. Hanh and Mr. Brandon helped students experience a variety of activities such as sharing ideas on jamboard, wonder wall, brainstorming, cootie catcher game, matching game, quizizz, etc.
In addition, students also learned about solid geometry in the bilingual math lesson with Ms. Christina and Ms. Hanh. With their understanding of the characteristics, properties, and methods of calculating the area of cubes and rectangular prisms, students will know how to organize and plan for the development of a hypothetical city. This knowledge will also be applied in the final unit assessment test, which will be revealed at the end of this unit.
Ms Christina Lawrence
IB Teacher – EAL
Grade 3 is learning about human migration and how it can change communities. They will learn about pull and push factors, and environmental factors. Students completed a formative presentation about animal migration, the reasons for migration and how human actions or practices might affect migration.
Grade 4 is learning about energy resources, which resources are used in Vietnam, and its environmental impact. They have also learned about renewable and nonrenewable resources, and the benefits and drawbacks of each resource. They completed a formative presentation on an energy resource.
Grade 5 is learning about non government organizations, as well as the technology and aid they provide for various social issues. For their summative product, they will learn about the issues surrounding fast fashion.
Students in all classes will have a mix of individual and group work, learn writing structures, and complete reflections on the weekly topic. All the summative products have a presentation component.
Mr Brandon Williams
IB Teacher – UOI
As we progress through the units of inquiry an important aspect of the learning process is to assess students in the approaches to Learning (ATL) skills. This involves a variety of methods such as observation, self-assessment, peer assessment, portfolio, and rubrics.
Observing students during activities to assess their application of ATL skills is usually done informally during class or formally during specific assessment tasks. The smaller classes at Tesla allow for more opportunity for observation of each student which inturn allows for clear and more immediate feedback for student improvement as well as for teachers to adjust and prepare activities to support the further development of the ATL skills or areas that need more attention.
Grade 3 students work collaboratively on an activity for the unit of Where We Are In Place and Time. Students were tasked to complete a guided mind map based on different habitats with what they could see, what they know, and what they could find through doing some research.
Ms Le Minh Anh
IB Teacher – Science
Building Playgrounds, Learning Together
Imagine a playground created by children, for children! That is just what our grade 3 students accomplished with their “Playful Playground” project. Science, Engineering, UOI , and Art were all incorporated into this transdisciplinary theme to create an engaging and educational environment.
The question “How can we design a playground that is fun and safe for everyone?” served as the basis for the entire project. Students developed plans, generated ideas, and even constructed little models out of recyclable materials. They investigated the concepts of maps, and electricity while showcasing their enthusiasm.
A field trip to Epsilon Furniture House and Showroom was the project’s high point. Here, students got to see the entire chair design process from idea to finished product. They gained knowledge of materials and the significance of satisfying user demands.
The students’ creativity and hard work are demonstrated by the climbing frames, slides, and swings, all of which were constructed with enjoyment and safety in mind. Building a playground wasn’t the only goal of this project; other learning objectives included teamwork, problem-solving, and knowledge application in a practical environment. The best part was seeing the happiness on their cheeks.
Mr Do Trung Hoc
IB Teacher – ICT
The virtual world always generates excitement during computer lab classes. In this module, students experience this magical world through designing 3D models. These 3D models are not only products of creativity but also evidence of students’ understanding of dinosaurs or marine ecosystem species. Let’s admire the wonderful creations of the PYP students.
– Minh Nghia – Grade 4 – Tropical rainforests: [Link]
– Khanh Ly – Grade 5 – The world’s oceans: [Link]
– Bao Ly – Grade 5 – Polluted beaches.: [Link]
Ms Nguyen Thi Quynh Dien
IB Teacher – Art
Grade 4 students have delved into the concepts of non-renewable and renewable energy, exploring their effects on the environment and communities. Demonstrating their comprehension, students expressed their insights through artwork portraying wind energy, hydraulic energy, and solar energy. Additionally, they conducted research to identify suitable locations in Vietnam for each renewable energy source. Students were given the freedom to employ any art medium they have learned for their final work.
Mr Do Su
IB Teacher – PE
In the physical education subject, alongside main sports like swimming, basketball, football, and badminton, supplementary exercises focusing on developing motor skills and height growth, as well as physical development, are always emphasized and incorporated into the practice for the students.
Ms Le Quynh Ny
IB Teacher – Music
In this term, students can demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music through performances with Bucketdrumming, Bucket drumming can be utilized for specific social and emotional goals. These are great opportunities for music teacher to collaborate to supplement music teaching and build social and emotional skills. In bucket drumming, students are doing more than hitting drums. It’s exciting to see players realize how much greater the power of listening and playing together is rather than trying to stand out by themselves. students who practice music the instrument was in a happy, interesting and excited state, It was fun to see them learn 3 new musical skills through bucket drumming. They learned new rhythms. They learned to improvise alone and with small groups. They learned to drum and sing at the same time, and the students demonstrated it through a very successful performance that was greatly enjoyed by everyone.
MIDDLE YEARS (MYP)
Ms Angela Baker
IB MYP Coordinator
Dear Tesla MYP Community,
I hope this message finds you well! As we proceed through the third term of the academic year, I am excited to share some enriching updates about our teaching and learning initiatives within the Middle Years Programme (MYP).
We continuously refine our curriculum to incorporate engaging activities that spark curiosity and nurturing a love for learning among our students. From hands-on STEM experiments to enriching experiences in the humanities and arts, our goal is to provide diverse learning opportunities that captivate and inspire our students.
Inquiry and research play a central role in our pedagogical approach. By encouraging students to ask questions, seek answers, and explore topics of interest, we foster critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Through inquiry-based learning, students become active participants in their educational journey, enhancing their sense of discovery and exploration.
As we approach STEM Week (March 11-15), our commitment to STEM education remains steadfast as we integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics into the curriculum. Through projects and practical applications, students engage in hands-on learning experiences that develop problem-solving skills and prepare them for the challenges of tomorrow.
As we continue to refine and innovate our teaching and learning practices in preparation for MYP Authorization, I encourage parents to remain engaged and involved in their children’s educational journey. Together, we can inspire a lifelong love of learning and empower our students to become compassionate, critical-thinking global citizens. Take a moment to explore the contributions of our MYP teachers and students in this edition of Tesla Talk!
Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to educational excellence at Tesla!
Sincerely.
Mr Gavin Kendal John Machell
IB Teacher – Science
Middle school students have been doing lots of experiments to learn about Science this semester. Here are some of the investigations that the students have completed:
– Taking latent fingerprints using superglue;
– Video analysis of falling objects;
– Measuring the acceleration of a ball down a ramp;
– Measuring the heating effect of electricity;
– Making exploding bubbles using acids and metals;
– Making Gummy Bears grow;
– Analysing pendulum motion;
– Investigating convective heat flow by making artificial weather;
– Electroplating metals;
– Observing Brownian motion through a microscope;
– Visualising and exploring magnetic fields;
– Seeing and drawing onion cells;
– Chromatographically separating ink.
In each case, students have used their experiments as a springboard to investigate the relevant implications of what they have found out to their own lives and in a global context so not only have they learned something about the scientific world, they have also gained some understanding of how science connects us all together.
Mr Milky Lloyd De Leon Santos
IB Teacher – Language Acquisition
In the recently concluded summative assessment last October 19, 2023 – Thursday afternoon, MYP 1,2, and 3 students participated in the MYP’s TedxYouth presentation. Wherein students presented their speeches based on their assigned topics that aligned with their unit requirements for term 1. Speakers presented great, well-formed ideas to highlight and present ideas to a wide range of audiences in under 4-7 minutes in front of all the MYP students, teachers, and staff.
The final scores were determined by combining students’ speaking presentations (8 pts.) and written scripts (8 pts) and then entered into Managebac.
Through careful deliberation, the MYP Language Acquisition teacher was able to choose and determine the student of the month for October and the best speaker for each grade level.
Ms Huynh Thi Nguyen Mai
IB Teacher – Vietnamese Language & Literature
All MYP students presented their Earth Day infographic. This activity is a collaboration between Visual Arts, Language & Literature and Language Acquisition for this term’s interdisciplinary unit regarding the water crisis.
We boosted reviewing for MOET exams after the holiday for the rest of this week. Grade 6 practiced persuasive writing about social phenomena, reading comprehension (story), and Vietnamese grammar (loan words and quotation marks function). Grade 7 continued to read freestyle poems, Vietnamese grammar (how to extend the sentence’s subject and verb), and write essays expressing their feelings about their beloved person. Grade 8 struggled with historical stories due to the ancient vocabulary I was assigned to learn.
Additionally, they have learned about declarative, exclamative, interrogative, and imperative sentences and how to switch between them. Grade 8’s essay is writing a story about a journey, integrating feelings and description.
For summative assessment, their project integrates with the Water Crisis Interdisciplinary Unit, with each grade focusing on a specific theme within that broader topic. Students are creating propaganda posters and infographics related to their chosen water crisis issue. The propaganda aims to persuade viewers with a strong statement, raising awareness about the crisis. Infographics will present data and propose solutions, backed by solid evidence. Students are engaging in all of the activities within my subject and they all did very well!
Ms Nguyen Thi Hoa Dao
IB Teacher – Math
Grade 6 students are working on a cool project called “The Beauty of Symmetry”. They’re spending lots of time together, working hard on their presentations, and they’re feeling pretty good about it all. These students are learning all about symmetry – you know, when things are the same on both sides, like a butterfly’s wings or a snowflake. They’re doing cool activities and talking about why symmetry matters in art, buildings, nature, math, and so on.
As they get closer to showing off what they’ve learned, they’re getting more and more excited. They can’t wait to share their discoveries with their classmates and teachers.
Ms Nguyen Ngoc Duyen
IB Teacher – Art
To help students at Tesla understand the important role of visual art in our everyday lives, as well as its many interesting aspects, I have designed various lessons involving learning the history of art, engaging in school projects, and participating in competitions so they can see for themselves how visual art affects everything they normally do every day.Up until now, all MYP students have proceeded nicely and shown their potential in learning, creating, and solving problems creatively.
You have seen some of their amazing works in Mid Aumtumn festival with their lantern making competition, the paper dragon for Tet fair backdrop, and wonderful artworks for Silence Auction,…
I hope i will be able to continue working with all of Tesla students, and together we will make even more beautiful visual art works.
Mr Trinh Hai Duong
IB Teacher – Design
Tesla Education has helped students not to forget the past by utilizing memorials and monuments as practical lessons. These landmarks convey important messages, helping us learn from history to avoid repeating mistakes. This significance makes the 8th-grade field trip meaningful and memorable.
The purpose of this excursion extends beyond mere sightseeing; it also enables students to delve into the role of monuments in preserving historical memory, understand the unique features of different monuments, and take action by designing their own monuments as a final project.
Mr Nguyen Kieu Quoc Bao
IB Teacher – PE
This week, MYP students continue to enjoy exciting moments as they come together to hone their technique of hitting high and deep shots with their dominant hand in badminton. They are diligently perfecting each move and learning to create impressive shuttlecock strokes.
In swimming class, there is no shortage of excitement either. Students are taking part in the ‘locomotive’ game, a thrilling experience that strengthens their bonds with each other. They kick and paddle vigorously underwater, building both strength and balance, all while creating memorable moments in this sport.
Ms Le Thi Thach Thu
IB Teacher – Librarian
Learner Companion
It would be extremely beneficial to a child’s education if adults prioritized reading at school and at home. To encourage children to read, teachers and parents can make it a regular habit by setting aside time for reading and providing access to books.
– Reading aloud to your child is a great way to foster a love of reading.
– Take your child to the library or bookshop. Allow them to browse the shelves and select the books they are interested in.
– Discuss what they are reading. Ask them questions about the book and explain what they’re reading.
Students who have had positive reading experiences are more likely to like reading and discover the significance of books.
