In this issue

Welcome to Calamvale Community College’s International Journal. In this space, we showcase the global connections, itineraries, and outlooks forged by our vibrant school community. This bi-annual journal offers a snapshot of the diverse ways the College develops the international-mindedness and mobility of its multicultural student population. Travel through Issue 1 at your leisure – please journey to our feature articles, roam through our busy events calendar, and stop by our picturesque photo library. Bon voyage!

 

Department of Education, trading as Education Queensland International (EQI) CRICOS Provider Code 00608A

Taiwan Artists’ Workshop

Taiwanese Artists’ Workshop at Calamvale   On Monday 16 July, Calamvale Community College welcomed three leading Taiwanese artists on campus to conduct practical workshops for our Year 9, 11, and 12 Art students. These workshops were organised in collaboration with World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. (WAMCI), a large and influential …

International News
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Taiwan Artists’ Workshop

Taiwanese Artists’ Workshop at Calamvale

 

On Monday 16 July, Calamvale Community College welcomed three leading Taiwanese artists on campus to conduct practical workshops for our Year 9, 11, and 12 Art students.

These workshops were organised in collaboration with World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. (WAMCI), a large and influential body that coordinates collaborative performances and activities across Brisbane. This organisation aims to stimulate, educate, and inspire through celebratory and interactive events such as the Brisbane International Arts Festival and the Taipei Puppet theatre. The College maintains a robust and productive relationship with WAMCI and as such, this workshop event was first and only one of its kind in Queensland.

Our Art students were privileged to receive instruction and critique from three renowned Taiwanese artists boasting Doctorate and Masters qualifications in Fine Arts. Students gained a wide breadth of artistic knowledge and practical skills in these workshops, as each artist mentored in a different painting form. Mr Wang Gow Chang – who maintains special interests in historiography, Chinese aesthetics, and landscape painting – focused on watercolour artworks. An ink painting workshop was led by Mr Hsiao Chu Sheng, who imparted his wisdom as a prolific artist with an idiosyncratic ink style and dry-dyeing background technique. The third workshop in oil painting was headed by Mr Liao Jih Yin – an Art Research scholar whose evocative works have featured in exhibitions worldwide.

At the end of these workshops, students entered their creations into the 218 WAMCI Arts Awards competition. Several of our young artists were recognised with awards commending their artistic achievement and workshop participation. Senior Art teacher and CAS co-ordinator at the College, Mr Peter Davis, has thanked these artists and congratulated all recognised students:

“It was a great opportunity for students to learn from international experts, broadening their perspective about cultures and artistic techniques.”

All students are encouraged to broaden their sensitivity and receptivity to international art and cultural practices by viewing works by these renowned artists, featured in the Modern Ink Painting Exhibition at the Chun Tian Gallery until 25 July.

 

A peek into the life of a Saudi Arabian educator

Mr Hamdan Mohammed Alhwaishan is one of 25 Saudi Arabian educators visiting Calamvale Community College for ten weeks in Term 4 as a part of …

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A peek into the life of a Saudi Arabian educator

Mr Hamdan Mohammed Alhwaishan is one of 25 Saudi Arabian educators visiting Calamvale Community College for ten weeks in Term 4 as a part of the “Building Leadership through School Immersion” professional development programme.

What have you gained from your experience at the College?

At Calamvale, I have learnt many valuable skills and knowledge. For example, I have picked up new reading techniques and strategies to use in my teaching of English literature. I have also learnt how to support students to analyse a text closely.

What has been the most rewarding or exciting experience you’ve had here?

The most exciting experience has been following the development of young students – especially their personalities – in their first years at school.

What are some similarities and differences between education and schooling in Australia and Saudi Arabia?

There are similarities between our uses of technology for teaching, as well as in the subjects we offer at each learning stage.

Here, you do not use curriculum books for each subject like we do in Saudi Arabia. Also, school starts at 6:45am and ends at 1:30pm in Saudi Arabia, whereas lessons start later in Australia, from 8:30am to 3:00pm.

What are you future aspirations and teaching goals?

I hope to improve my English language teaching strategies and methods; this will help me to support my students to love and learn English language at school. My experience here in Australia will play the main role of changing and improving my teaching life for the better. Australia is the perfect place to get an excellent education, and that’s why I chose Australia for my teaching program after I got my Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics in 2012. I am planning to visit Australia again in the future.

A peek into life as an International Captain

Year 6 student Linda (Yiting) Jiang is our one of our International Captains for 2018. At Calamvale Community College, our International Captains have been chosen …

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A peek into life as an International Captain

Year 6 student Linda (Yiting) Jiang is our one of our International Captains for 2018. At Calamvale Community College, our International Captains have been chosen as representatives for the both our long-term international student population. In this capacity, Linda mentors new international students, assists with orientation to school life, organises lunch and out-of-school activities, facilitates language assistance tutorials or clubs, and helps to involve our international students in on-campus events.

What sort of responsibilities do you hold as an International Captain?

Some responsibilities I hold as an International Captain include welcoming international students visiting our school and attending, participating and organising evens like the Multicultural Festival and other Student Council events. My weekly responsibilities include raising the flags, going to Student Council meetings and helping with assemblies.

What have been some key events for you as Captain?

Some key events for me as a captain are meeting the international students and most importantly, the Multicultural Festival. The Multicultural Festival really stood out to me because it was a huge event and everyone was able to share things about their culture.

How do you connect with the international student population of CCC?

I connect with the international students by welcoming them and communicating with them. They share things about their culture, and I can share and talk about what we do.

What does being a good leader mean to you?

To me, being a good leader means being responsible and doing what you are supposed to do. Initiative is most important because a good leader has to take action without being told. I believe that leaders are chosen because they don’t just do what’s been told, but also take initiative to make a positive change without being reminded.

What are some of the benefits of being a School Captain?

One benefits of being a school captain is that I am in the Student Council, which means that I can work closely with other captains and representatives to organise events and make changes.

A peek into the life of an EALD teacher

Hello there! My name is Meila (Ms Wang) and I am an EALD teacher at Calamvale Community College. If you didn’t know, EALD stands for English …

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A peek into the life of an EALD teacher

Hello there! My name is Meila (Ms Wang) and I am an EALD teacher at Calamvale Community College. If you didn’t know, EALD stands for English as an Additional Language/Dialect. Hence, my job is to teach students who do not speak English as their first language.

 

Being an Australian born Chinese myself, I completely understand the challenges and difficulties that come with learning a secondary language. More than that, I’ve learned to find true love and joy in being immersed in such a culturally diverse country and now, workplace. Calamvale Community College is a true representation of a multicultural Australia – we have students from all nations and cultures!

 

Every day, I get to come to work and interact with international students, students from immigrant families and even refugee families, too. My heart is filled daily being able to learn about these wonderfully colourful cultures! One of my favourite parts of this job is being able to hear stories from students about their countries, hometowns, cultural foods, dances, music, dress and even jokes. Being an EALD teacher is such a blissful and rewarding job, especially when I see my students break down those tricky language and cultural barriers.

 

I encourage you to join me on this exciting journey. 

Affiliations / Connections

• Browns Language School, Brisbane • Cheon seong Middle School, South Korea • Feng-Sheng Senior High School, Taiwan • Department of Education International, Brisbane • …

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Affiliations / Connections

• Browns Language School, Brisbane
• Cheon seong Middle School, South Korea
• Feng-Sheng Senior High School, Taiwan
• Department of Education International, Brisbane
• Education Queensland International, Brisbane
• Griffith University, Brisbane
• Haemi Middle School, South Korea
• Okayama Sozan Junior High School, Japan
• Osaka School of Music, Japan
• Queensland Korean Orchestra, Brisbane
• Sister Schools:
o Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School, Taiwan
o Nantong Senior High School, China
o Hangzhou Donfang High School, China
• Tama Meguro Junior High School, Japan
• Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group, Taiwan
• Union Institute of Language, Brisbane
• University of Queensland – Extension Studies International & TESOL Education, Brisbane
• Whites Hills State College, Brisbane
• World Arts Multicultural Inc., Brisbane

 

Event Highlights 2018

2018 Term 1 Events Study tour of Korean primary students From 29 January to 23 February, we welcomed 11 students from Korea on a 26-day …

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Event Highlights 2018

2018 Term 1 Events

Study tour of Korean primary students

From 29 January to 23 February, we welcomed 11 students from Korea on a 26-day study tour. While at the College, the visiting students attended fun and engaging lessons about Australia’s history, geography, and wildlife. They took intensive English classes, which were complemented by immersive day-to-day timetabled sessions with their Calamvale buddy. Students enjoyed full-day excursions to two of the Gold Coast’s world-renowned theme parks – Movie World and Wet n Wild. This study tour concluded with a day of sightseeing at the Southbank Precinct – Brisbane’s premier lifestyle and cultural destination that boasts extensive parklands, a man-made beach, multicultural eateries, and architectural landmarks.

Sports Day with Tama Meguro JHS

On 1 March, we hosted a Sports Day with visiting students from Tama Meguro Junior High School in Tokyo, Japan. The College welcomed these 96 Japanese students with an electric performance of “Shibuya Crossing” by the school’s Taiko Drummers. Throughout the day, students rotated through several activities such as the Fitness Obstacle Course, a challenging maze of stations that tested physical fitness. The Tama Meguro students also participated in an informative and enjoyable Aboriginal Program, filled with interactive elements including didgeridoo lessons and boomerang throwing. The visiting school was farewelled with a ceremony and an exchange of gifts.

Study tour from Okayama Sozan

From 13 to 21 March, the College welcomed a second study tour from Japan, this time from the Okayama Sozan Junior High School. At the College, the 30 visiting students participating in food tasting sessions, English lessons and cultural activities. Their itinerary also included a full-day excursion to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in West Brisbane, a visit to the University of Queensland campus, and sight-seeing across Brisbane city.

Term 2 Events

Thai Study Tour

From 23 April to 4 May, the College hosted 25 students from Thailand Government schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. These students engaged in an immersive stay at Calamvale, attending English conversations lessons and timetabled classes with their buddies. This tour coincided with ANZAC Day, which allowed these international students to witness the commemorations firsthand. The trip also included an introduction to some of our famous fauna during a wildlife presentation.

Osaka Dance Project

On 17 May, collaborated with the Jikei Gakuen Group of Japan and the University of Queensland for the Australian Dance Project, held at the Calamvale Performing Arts Centre. 58 students from Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo and Fukuoka performed five dances, with the highlight being the last performance – a collaborative performance of Japanese and Calamvale students to the sounds of ‘Zippity Do Dah”. This was the second year of the joint project.

Indian Principals’ Delegation

On 30 May, the College hosted a delegation of principals from India on a one-day tour of the College, followed by productive presentations regarding offshore work and shadowing programs.

Term 3 Events

New Taipei City and Nan Tou County Professional Visit

On 10 August, 25 school leaders from New Taipei City visited the College for a one-day professional visit. This delegation included an esteemed Professor who sits in an advisory committee in charge of international education policy for the Taiwanese Ministry of Education, as well as high profile Academic and School Operations Supervisors, Principals, Academic Directors, and teachers.
The topics of discussion involved our International Baccalaureate journey towards accreditation, our anticipated 2019-2020 IB course structure and strategic plan to educate global citizens, as well as the various facets of our robust International Programs. The delegation also observed classrooms and toured the College, with particular emphasis placed on IB and Senior Secondary classes.

Kinmen County study tour from Taiwan

From 20 – 26 July, students from Kinmen County, Taiwan visited Calamvale for a six-day tour. These students enjoyed an excursions to a local park, Brisbane City for sightseeing, and the Southbank precinct for shopping and relaxing. At the College the touring students participated in an insightful unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) lesson with Mr Paterson, as well as a wildlife show and classes alongside their assigned buddies.

 

Mingzhu and Jiangsu Study Tours

This term commenced with two simultaneous – but very different – Study Tours from China.
On 30 July, we welcomed five students from our Sister School in China – Jiangsu Nantong High School. The students took part in English language lessons, class integration sessions, and were treated to an Australian wildlife show at the College. Our warm and hospitable host families allowed these visiting students to appreciate the Australian lifestyle and take part in leisure activities. The students also travelled to the Gold Coast and Sydney as a part of this tour.
This annual visit from our Jiangsu Sister School was complemented by the inaugural visit of Mingzhu School students to the College. On 30 July, we also welcomed 11 students from Mingzhu School in Changchun, China for the first time on a one-week study tour. The students completed English lessons at the College, and attended class integration sessions alongside a buddy student.

Visit from Kaohsiung Boys

Kaohsiung Boys School arrived for a 12-day tour, spanning 21 August to 1 September. This visit had a strong science focus – our Kaohsiung guests visited the University of Queensland to enjoy an Australian Wildlife show and conduct a laboratory experiment on campus. These students also sampled the broad tertiary education offerings Griffith University and the Australian Catholic University. Science took precedence at the College, with engaging STEM lessons offered. This tour also enjoyed several excursions across Brisbane, including a visit to the Lone Pine sanctuary, shopping at the Airport DFO, and sightseeing at Mount Coo-tha and Southbank precinct.

Calamvale Community College: now a world-class institution

Calamvale Community College is celebrating its milestone accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The College is now the first and only independent state …

International Baccalaureate
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Calamvale Community College: now a world-class institution

Mel Ellis – IB Diploma Coordinator

Calamvale Community College is celebrating its milestone accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The College is now the first and only independent state school in South-East Queensland to offer both the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for its young learners, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for high achievers.
Calamvale’s IB accreditation is set to change the education game for Brisbane’s Southside. College Executive Principal Lisa Starmer says that this pedagogical shift will provide students with an unmatched learning experience that promotes independent learning and international mindedness.
“The College encourages all its students to live as learners – this ethos will take now shape through a comprehensive continuation of world-class learning, teaching, and assessment from Junior through to Secondary School.”
This unique educational pathway begins in Prep, where students explore and engage with the world in a structured, yet authentic way. The IB Primary Years Programme is a framework for organising curriculum; as such, the College maps the Australian Curriculum across six transdisciplinary themes, ensuring a progression of skills and knowledge. Standardised PYP units of inquiry allow young learners to consolidate their prior knowledge, actively engage with new experiences, and reflect on their learning journey.
Calamvale has chosen to implement PYP because it provides a relevant, engaging, and indispensably global education – the IB strongly advocates for education without borders. This allow the College to concretely foster transdisciplinary approaches to learning, develop students’ international mindedness, and target the attributes of learners that are valued in our College, in the community, nationally, and globally.
For Senior students, the IB Diploma Programme will provide capable students with an internationally recognised qualification that is recognised in over 75 countries and 2,000 universities worldwide. IB graduates are in hot demand across the world – IB schools are renowned for shaping students into compassionate, ethical, and industry-ready leaders.


Now an IB World School, Calamvale Community College has undoubtedly become a “College of Choice” where students are afforded the opportunity to choose their own academic and future career trajectories. Whether this includes performing on stage, creating artistic works, speaking other languages, excelling in the sciences, or applying cutting-edge technologies, Calamvale Community College will be the first choice for all students.
Calamvale Community College hopes to enable its creative, curious, and clever students leave its campus to take charge of their education and pursue the international academic and career opportunities that will come knocking.

Our Positive Education Journey

Given the alarming rise of mental illness in young people, schools need to be equally focussed on building well-rounded, self-reflective students as much as clever …

Positive Education
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Our Positive Education Journey

Given the alarming rise of mental illness in young people, schools need to be equally focussed on building well-rounded, self-reflective students as much as clever ones. This, however, is no easy task. School-based wellbeing programs are often disconnected from student experience, and participants are unlikely to adopt strategies that have been introduced through stand-alone lessons or brief training sessions.

Positive Psychology is an evidence-based paradigm that offers a unique approach toward wellbeing and the creation of a happy and fulfilling life. Where other psychological paradigms explore a person’s deficits, Positive Psychology focuses on what is right with a person. It provides strategies for navigating the challenges of life more effectively by engendering positive emotions, strengthening relationships, building resilience, and focusing on a person’s strengths.
Positive Education is a new and exciting approach to holistic education that integrates the fundamental principles of positive psychology into existing school curricula. This new education model has been applied to great success at other Australian schools like Geelong Grammar School in Victoria.

Positive Education is not just a lesson, but a culture – once embedded, this program will underpin everything at the College.

The College is firmly committed to integrating the Positive Education mantra – learn it, live it, teach it, embed it – throughout its entire P-12 campus. We have developed a five-year plan that will create a Positive Education culture within the College to help students thrive and flourish. The first two years of this plan focuses entirely on the indispensable core of our College – our teachers. All teaching staff have been encouraged to explore Positive Education for themselves within their professional and personal lives. The benefit of this is two-fold – we believe that the wellbeing of our teachers is just as important as our students, and teachers who have experienced positive outcomes are in turn authentic and enthusiastic proponents of the program. Since 2017, the College’s Positive Education Team has organised over 20 hours of professional development to facilitate the growth and uptake of the Positive Education program. Students will now start to get a taste of everything Positive Education has to offer.

Steam initiatives at CCC

Since 2017, Calamvale Community College has grown tremendously as a leader in transdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and arts (STEAM) endeavours that provide our students …

STEaM
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Steam initiatives at CCC

Since 2017, Calamvale Community College has grown tremendously as a leader in transdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and arts (STEAM) endeavours that provide our students with the opportunity to define their own academic and future career trajectories in an increasingly tech-savvy world. From curriculum re-design, competition victories, national conferences, through to extra-curricular and international opportunities, the College has advanced significantly as a STEAM institution that fosters risk-taking inquirers and innovative thinkers.
Junior
This year, the College has deepened its commitment to digital learning by providing new opportunities for Junior School students to take advantage of technology equipment and online educational environments. Inquiry Units relating to Design and Digital Technology have now been linked directly to the current IB Primary Years’ Programme framework – this will allow students to hone their collaborative, critical thinking skills whilst improving their digital literacy. Year 4-6 students will also experience taster days that will whet their appetite for STEAM subjects and modes of inquiry. All Junior School students are able to participate in technology-focused extracurricular initiatives such as the Junior Science Ambassadors Program and lunchtime ScratchJr coding sessions to create interactive stories, games and animations.

Junior Secondary
Design and Digital Technology electives are now offered to Middle School students in Years 7-10, with all course content comprehensively mapped to Australian curriculum (ACARA) standards. This year, the College has nominated Year 7 and 9 students to join the STEM Horizons for High Achievers program – a Queensland Government initiative that provides immersive experiences and specialist activities for excelling students to enhance their learning. The College also promotes the uptake of STEAM subject by young females through targeted programs such as Years 6-9 Tech Girls Droid workshops and STEAM Residential camps that have been expanded to include female Year 5 and 6 students this April. High-achieving APEX students in Years 8 and 9 also have the opportunity to participate in QUT STEM workshops that focus on areas such as rocket science, mechatronics, and Arduino programming.

Senior Secondary
For Senior Secondary students, the College boasts a wide range of flexible study options that include capstone STEAM electives and vocational pathways such as Aeroskills. These courses are supplemented by a diverse array of industry and international opportunities. For example, Calamvale Community College is one of only sixteen schools to join the Aerospace Gateway to Industry Schools program, an industry-supported scheme that offers students invaluable opportunities to pursue their interest in the aviation sector. As a part of this program, the College has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company. In 2017, the College also participated in the Queensland STEM Student Exchange Program, which saw one of our Year 10 students travel to Taiwan on an immersive 12-day study tour across New Taipei City.

Competitions
The College’s recent competition entries and successes are testament to our effective cultivation of problem-based learners and innovators. This year, our Year 6 competit

ors placed 10th out of 135 teams at the Queensland Sumo Robot Competition; our Year 5 students participated in a 3D-printed car race against students from Algester State School; and a team of Year 10 students have been accepted into the World Robot Summit held in Japan this September. Other national and state-wide contests challenge our students to exceed their potential across various STEM fields. The Big Science Competition, organised by Australian Science Innovations, challenges our students to apply their science knowledge across a range of real-life, contemporary contexts. To help our students succeed in their competitive, academic, and vocational pursuits, the College has invested in a $500,000 upgrade of its STEAM lab, which now contains the newest interactive technologies such as virtual reality equipment, 3D printers, aquaponics systems, EV3 robotics resources, and diverse engineering tools.
The College is committed to building creative, curious, and clever students, and this begins with dedicated and knowledgeable teachers. Our teaching staff have worked towards developing their competencies across all STEAM subjects. Looking towards the future, the College aims to expand both the breadth and depth of its STEAM curriculum and industry partnerships. Our vision for the next few years involves re-imagining and re-designing our learning spaces so that our students have cutting-edge technologies and innovations at their fingertips, as well as enabling the further integration of arts into our STEAM curriculum.

World Education Program (WEP): Meet Bo Liu

The School Language Assistants Program (SLAP) is an Australian Federal Government scheme that seeks to provide Australian schools with the opportunity to gain a linguistic …

World Education Program
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World Education Program (WEP): Meet Bo Liu

The School Language Assistants Program (SLAP) is an Australian Federal Government scheme that seeks to provide Australian schools with the opportunity to gain a linguistic and cultural resource person from overseas for up to 12 months.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all visiting assistants. Over the course of their visit, assistants are immersed into our Australian culture, our day-to-day activities through home-staying, and what it means to live as a local in Australia.
Within the school, assistants gain skills through classroom assistanceship. They assist teachers in classroom preparation, observation and direct learning of students. Assistants can also work individually with students or in small groups, and help prepare students for oral examinations. There is also scope for cross-curricular activities in collaboration with other subject areas.
At Calamvale, we have welcomed Bo Liu for Terms 1 and 2. Bo lived in China and completed studies in Graphics Design before applying for WEP. She heard about the program from her friends, and decided to apply in order to improve her English and gain exposure to other countries and cultures.
The application process took about three months; after she was accepted, Bo arrived in Brisbane during October last year. She was immediately smitten with the warm climate of Queensland, and the close proximity of the Gold Coast.
At Calamvale Community College, Bo quickly settled into the rhythm of education and teaching in Australia. On a typical day, Bo would assist the Chinese language teachers prepare for the Year 1 and 2 classes – this includes tasks such as photocopying, filing and laminating documents, as well as researching about fun and engaging tasks to incorporate into lessons. She plays games with them and organises DIY activities regarding China and the Chinese culture. Bo also accompanies students on excursions. Throughout her stay, Bo has always aimed to always facilitate language and cultural exchange with her young students.
Bo is still undecided regarding her plans after her 10-month WEP assistanceship. She would like to pursue teaching, and would ideally visit or study in Australia again, thanks to her positive experiences at Calamvale.

Global Education

Today’s generation is living in a world that is more connected, more dynamic and able to access more knowledge than any other point in time. …

Global Education
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Today’s generation is living in a world that is more connected, more dynamic and able to access more knowledge than any other point in time. Our students are aware of this globalised world and the interconnections that exist; however, it is our responsibility as educators to ensure they receive a global education, one where students adopt an international perspective on contemporary events and issues. UNESCO defines a global education as one which:
• enables people to understand the links between their own lives and those of people throughout the world
• increases understanding of the economic, cultural, political and environmental influences which shape our lives
• develops the skills, attitudes and values which enable people to work together to bring about change and take control of their own lives
• works towards achieving a more just and sustainable world in which power and resources are more equitably shared1.

The overarching philosophy of the International Baccalaureate – as represented by the outside circle of the programme model – is that of international mindedness. This ethos is all encompassing and embedded in all aspects of the curriculum, the core and the Learner Profile.

Our students are frequently exposed to different viewpoints, texts, value systems, and influences that allow for a deep understanding of issues from a global lens in whatever topic of study.
Teaching through global case studies allows us to foster thoughtful, skilled and empathetic citizens of the world. Our students are encouraged to think laterally and work

collaboratively to approach real-world issues with close consideration and confidence.

For example, in the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project, students in junior secondary engage with students in Korea and Taiwan to discuss Australia’s influence on the Korean War and code and program Pepper the Robot collaboratively.

Our students have also broadened their international sensitivity by listening to an American journalist, in a Brisbane school, talking about the influence of the Lockerbie plane disaster in Scotland and the ramifications for media literacy when analysing global current affairs.

Students are also provided with the opportunity to learn from field professionals working in other countries – IB students are enhancing their academic writing and research skills by connecting with professionals via live conferencing in France and the US in fields of interest, such as medicine and science.

The College believes that through a wider network, a globalised education can be achieved. As such, we have begun to internationalise the connections and opportunities proffered to students. Please continue to follow us as we traverse borders and boundaries on this education journey.

1 Hicks, D. (2009). The global dimension: teaching for a better world. Retrieved from http://www.teaching4abetterworld.co.uk/global.html

Ni Hao, Konnichiwa, Annyunghaseyo, Sawasdee, Namaste, Selamat Pagi, Hello!

I extend a warm welcome to the readers of the first International Journal from Calamvale Community College. The journal provides you with an introduction to …

David Hepper
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Ni Hao, Konnichiwa, Annyunghaseyo, Sawasdee, Namaste, Selamat Pagi, Hello!

I extend a warm welcome to the readers of the first International Journal from Calamvale Community College. The journal provides you with an introduction to the global nature of the College as it continues to embark on an international focus.
Over the last three years, Calamvale Community College has markedly increased the breadth and depth of its international scope and connections. In 2015, Calamvale welcomed a small contingent of six international students and conducted only a handful of study tours. From this modest platform, we took a sizeable leap into our first sister school agreement, which was forged with Kaohsiung Municipal Girls Senior High School in Taiwan.
Since then, the College has moved from strength to strength – each year we extend our international commitment and seize global opportunities for our students across all year and subject levels. In 2018, our school campus was home to more than 75 long-term international students from Years 1 to 12. Our Senior students are afforded the option to homestay with a host Australian family for the duration of their studies, which is often two to four years in duration.
Not only have we witnessed a marked increase in the number of international students, but also their respective countries of origin. Our students hail from across the globe, including China, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. These students complement and enrich our thriving multicultural school and enliven our campus.
We have also forged new and mutually beneficial sister school arrangements with institutions in Japan and China. We also maintain ratified friendships with schools in Korea and Taiwan.
The College’s involvement and engagement with the international community is multifaceted and diverse. We now pursue global connections in innovative and collaborative ways. Professional visits from international teachers, principals and educational boards allow us to develop productive relationships and demonstrate the robustness of our curriculum and pedagogy.
We now host 8 to 10 inbound study tours a year, as well as visits from our Sister Schools from China and Taiwan. These study tours expose our students to the vibrancy and joys of diverse and dissimilar cultures, and allows visiting students to become immersed in the Australian way of life.
The College regularly hosts events of an international flavour, including arts festivals and workshops, music and dance performances, and diplomatic functions. Not only do our students benefit from partaking in cultural observances, but they gain industry experience and increase their sensitivity to global issues. Our students have also benefited from our successful foray into global collaborative classrooms with schools across Asia, with live participation in cooking classes, humanities lessons, and cultural sessions.
The College looks forward to extending its international presence and welcomes you to be part of this exhilarating journey.

Collaboration Concert with Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra

On 25 March, Calamvale Community College held the inaugural Collaboration Concert with the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra (QKO) at the on-campus Calamvale Performing Arts Centre. …

Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra
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Collaboration Concert with Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra

On 25 March, Calamvale Community College held the inaugural Collaboration Concert with the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra (QKO) at the on-campus Calamvale Performing Arts Centre. Established in 2016, QKO has continually expanded to become the most dynamic and diversified orchestra in Queensland. For QKO, this joint concert is of mutual benefit: “Our objective for collaborating with various educational institutes is to promote friendship and thus a long-term relationship between the institutes and QKO.” Our relationship with QKO is strong; their young musicians currently use the College’s CPAC as their main rehearsal venue.
This concert provided our music students with the opportunity to interact with and perform alongside like-minded young musicians. Audiences listened to performances by the Calamvale College String Quartet, the Queensland Korean Youth Orchestra’s Strings and Woodwind Brass Percussion, as well as collaborative performances that showcased the combined talents of these young performers.

Alongside on-campus collaborations, our students have also participated in a variety of activities and performances outside of the College. In March, Instrumental Music students from across the College visited the Conservatorium of Music at Southbank and attended a lecture presented by the Deputy Director. Our Taiko group began the year with an international focus – they performed at our Multicultural Festival, welcomed and farewelled our visiting Japanese schools, and showcased their skills at the Japanese “Kisaraga” Festival at Roma Street Parklands.

Brisbane International Arts Festival – Performance and Workshops

The College participated in the 2018 Brisbane International Arts Festival as a celebration of Harmony Week – an Australian federal government initiative that aims to …

Taipei Puppet Theater
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Brisbane International Arts Festival – Performance and Workshops

The College participated in the 2018 Brisbane International Arts Festival as a celebration of Harmony Week – an Australian federal government initiative that aims to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity and engender belonging and community regardless of race, religion, or culture. The Festival aims to share cultural experience from around the world with Queensland community. It will be presenting exceptional artists from local and overseas, include folkloric and ethical dances, arts exhibitions, painting competition, documentaries, cultural workshops, orchestral concerts and theatre performances.

On 10 March, Calamvale hosted the Taipei Puppet Theater Performance, which captivated audiences with traditional puppet performing techniques showcased on an innovative and sophisticated stage. Puppet theatre is a traditional performing arts which is associated with cultural, recreational and economic activities in Taiwan. The tradition has been passed down for hundreds of years, with old folk stories that are still relevant to our young audience.

The theatre performers also held an engaging and immersive workshop for our Year 6 students. The participants gained an understanding of the history of puppet performance and experienced the beauty of this form of art. They students learnt to control and manipulate the puppets’ motion, and drew links between hand movements and the how characters express their feelings and emotions. The hands-on learning experience was enjoyable for all involved.

The College was also one of only three schools in Queensland to participate in the Lantern Festival, a stunning visual spectacular hosted by the World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. Our students also entered into the Lantern Painting competition; several winners received awards and had their lanterns exhibited at the Queensland Taiwan Centre in Sunnybank.

A Day in the Life of an International Student

Name Kien Tran – Age 18 Start term/year @ CCC Term 1, 2016 Home Country Vietnam Previous School Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue How would …

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A Day in the Life of an International Student

Name Kien Tran – Age 18
Start term/year @ CCC Term 1, 2016
Home Country Vietnam
Previous School Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue

How would your close friends describe you in 3 words?
Crazy, a daydreamer, and chaotic.

What do you think your best quality is?
I am very confident.

What was the funniest thing that happened to you at CCC?
Once I thought that a teacher was saying “Hi!” to me, but they were speaking to someone standing behind me. I was definitely a bit embarrassed!

DAILY ROUTINE
What does your morning routine look like?
I am not really a morning person, so my routine includes drinking a cup of tea and listening to music to energise me.

What are the three things you absolutely need each day for school?
Physically, I need my laptop, definitely the school Wi-Fi, and my notebooks. Mentally, I need a lot of confidence to try new things, as well as a lot of effort to finish my assignments and homework.

STUDY
What subjects do you study at the College?
IDMT, Certificate II in Business, Drama, Film and TV, Maths A, English ESL

What are your favourite and least favourite subjects? Why?
I enjoy both Drama and Film & TV as they both have a strong creative focus, and they include enjoyable assignments that are less stressful. English ESL is my least favourite subject because my assignments require me to include expert-level, complex phrases in English, which can be quite time-consuming and challenging.

What do you enjoy most about Calamvale and living in Australia?
I really appreciate the kindness and friendliness of the school population, from my fellow students, teachers, and all the way up to the Executive Principal. There’s also a huge range of subjects to choose from at the College – for example, if you’re creative, you can specialise in arts and humanities subjects, and if you enjoy mathematics, you can specialise in business or accounting. Here, you focus on your strengths, rather than just a fixed set of subjects.

What is one interesting thing that you’ve learnt recently?
For an English assignment, I was asked to expand upon a part of a novel which was not mentioned or a plot point which was left unexplored. We could either act out, write down, speak out, or film how we would fill in this blank. This project was perfect for me!

Who is your favourite teacher or College staff member, and why?
All of my teachers are favourites! But if I had to pick just one, I’d pick Mr. Brown, who used to teach me Health and Physical Education. He was incredibly wise, and he actually introduced me to chess.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS
What hobbies and interests do you have?
I love to play chess, and my friends and I actually participate in both in-school and inter-school chess competitions. I also love to watch movies and listen to music – both of these activities strengthen my creative mind, and I often watch movies to dissect each frame to see how they’ve been produced. I also enjoy playing and watching basketball.

LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
What are some of differences you’ve noticed between Australia and your home country?
To be honest, the people I’ve met in Australia are friendlier and nicer – everybody makes an effort to include you at school. Senior school life is also less stressful – I feel like I am learning the same things as I would in Vietnam, but I am also playing to my strengths. A Certificate or a Bachelor’s degree completed in Australia is also highly valued in Vietnam. Otherwise, my daily life and routine are pretty much the same.

Did you find it difficult to adapt to life/study in Australia? How did you overcome these challenges?
The biggest challenge was definitely language – my English skills were pretty poor when I first arrived in Australia. However, like in basketball and chess, I practiced a lot to increase my vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. The College really supported me a lot with this.

GOALS
What are your long-term goals? Do you want to continue to live/study/work in Australia?
I’m not too sure at the moment; I’m happy to live and work in either Vietnam or Australia – this really depends on my circumstances, future salary, and living arrangements.

Do you want to attend university? What would you like to study?
I definitely want to study and learn more in the future, but this may not necessarily mean that I will attend university. I would love to become a film editor and work in film production, so I can pursue this career with on-the-job training opportunities.

Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years?
In the future, I see myself working with a film production team on projects that focus on human beings and their interrelationships. Rather than travelling a lot, I’d like to save money to open a retail business of some kind.

A Day in the Life of an International Student

Name Lina (Huei Yu) Wang – Age 14 Start term/year @ CCC Term 4, Year 7, 2016 Home Country Taipei, Taiwan How would your close …

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A Day in the Life of an International Student

Name Lina (Huei Yu) Wang – Age 14
Start term/year @ CCC Term 4, Year 7, 2016
Home Country Taipei, Taiwan

How would your close friends describe you?
Crazy, talkative, and kind.
What do you think your best quality is?
I am very friendly.

DAILY ROUTINE
What does your morning routine look like?
I usually wake up around 6:30am. I leave at about 7:30am and walk to school, usually watching funny videos online to wake me up.

What sort of food do you cook/eat on a daily basis?
Usually rice and noodles, but I eat basically anything!

What are the three things you absolutely need each day for school?
I absolutely need my pencil case, my reading glasses, and my phone.

STUDY
What subjects do you take? What are your favourite and least favourite subjects?
Business, Maths, Science, HPE, English and Humanities My favourite subject is Maths, because I’ve already learnt ahead in Taiwan. My least subject is HPE – I enjoy the theory, but not the sports!

What are your long-term goals?
Well, I want to continue living and studying in Australia, because the lifestyle is more relaxed. I would ideally like to complete the International Baccalaureate at the College in my senior years. I would like to attend university, and study psychology because I am interested in how the mind works. In five years’ time, I’d like to travel and hopefully work as a barista while studying. In ten years’ time, I see myself working as a psychologist.

What do you enjoy most about the College?
I love how kind my classmates are, and how relaxed yet enjoyable my school life is.

What have been some interesting activities or events that you’ve been a part of at CCC?
Well I’ve competing in two really fun and interesting competitions for badminton and Chinese writing. They were both good experiences to have with my friends.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS
What hobbies and interests do you have?
I love to listen to music most afternoons. I also play badminton every Friday afterschool, which is great exercise. On the weekends, I like to visit Sunnybank, a nearby suburb that has a wide variety of multicultural restaurants.

LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
What are some of differences you’ve noticed between Australia and Taiwan?
Generally, the life in Australia is slower – this is nice and relaxing, but sometimes frustrating, especially when shopping centres close early!

What is one thing that you have/use in Australia that you now cannot live without?
I can’t live without my laptop – I use it in almost every class and for every assignment. I also write down a lot of notes in my notebook here in Australia.

Did you find it difficult to adapt to life/study in Australia? How did you overcome these challenges?
The main challenge was language – I really studied a lot and practiced with my teachers and friends.

How did you or your parents choose Calamvale?
My mother and I came to Brisbane on a holiday from Taiwan, and she really liked it here. She wanted me to study here, so we contacted an agent to help us with that.

A Day in the Life of a Homestay Family

A Day in the Life of a Homestay Family Names Lindo (42y), Hermina (40y), Lian (13y), and Hugh (3y)Pamittan When did you begin as a …

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A Day in the Life of a Homestay Family

A Day in the Life of a Homestay Family
Names Lindo (42y), Hermina (40y), Lian (13y), and Hugh (3y)Pamittan

When did you begin as a homestay family?
We started in January 2017. Our homestay student is Kenn Certifico.

What does a day in the life of a homestay family look like?
Morning: Typical morning preparing breakfast for everyone then school drop off.
Midday: Do household chores, cook for lunch then lunch with our 3y/o son, Hugh.
Afternoon: Short nap with Hugh then school pick up. Afternoon tea with kids.
Evenings: Dinner then homework time for kids, TV for parents. Kenn and Lian would sometimes watch TV with us if all school stuffs are done.
Weekends: Lindo and I sometimes work on weekends. But if not, Saturday is usually a family day out in the park, beach, mall, catching up with friends, watch movies or eat out. Sunday is church day and relaxing afternoon at home.

What is your morning routine with your homestay student?
Our morning is always getting ready for school on weekdays. I cook breakfast and prepare lunch boxes for my students (Kenn & Lian). Since Kenn started living with us there is not much difference in our routine except now I have to prepare two lunch boxes instead of only one.

What is your usual afternoon routine with your homestay student?
Our usual afternoon with Kenn is having afternoon tea after school pick up. Then she will stay in her room to rest or do her homework.

What sort of food do you cook and eat on a daily basis?
Most of the time we cook our native Filipino/Asian dishes with rice. However, 3-4 times a month we do Cheap Tuesday takeaway, a sausage sizzle, or pasta meals.

What is your homestay student’s favourite food?
Adobo with rice.

What sort of lunches/snacks do they bring to school?
Before dinner, I would usually save some of the dish for Kenn’s lunch the following day. And would alternate it with sandwich every other day. That’s her main meal. On top of that, she will have something sweet (like cookies, muesli bars, cupcake, etc); something savoury (like chips or crackers); and fresh fruit and sometimes juice.

How do you enjoy your time with your Homestay student?
We usually spend quality time with Kenn before and after dinner during school days. We have now included Kenn in our daily routine. Sometimes we would allocate her to do the cooking for us. Kenn and our daughter Lian are also allocated to wash the dishes on some days. She would also spend time to play with Hugh and Lian. Our Saturdays can be busy if Lindo and I are not working. Kenn is part of the family now hence she is always with us where ever we go for family activity. This is same on Sundays where we go to church, sometimes eat out for lunch then just relax at home before the week starts again.

What are some memorable moments you’ve shared with your Homestay student?
I think the best ones are those times we spent with our short-term homestay students – Kenn would bond with them really well. Kenn would always join us when we take our short-term students out to popular tourist spots in Brisbane & Gold Coast. Our short-term students don’t treat Kenn as a homestay student, but as part of our family because we introduce her as our eldest daughter.

What is your favourite part about hosting a Homestay student?
There is no specific part as our “favourite” because the entire hosting experience is just beautiful and we really love doing it.

Have you had to make any adjustments/changes in order to accommodate your Homestay student?
Not much. Everything remains the same except now I had to prepare two lunch boxes instead of just one. And we have to do school drop off and pick up to and from two different schools as our daughter goes to a different school. But that doesn’t really bother us at all as both schools are not that far from our place.

What have been some of the challenges associated with Homestay, and how have you overcome these?
With Kenn, I think what is quite challenging for us is taking the responsibility to be her guardians and having to push and encourage her to improve her grades and to reduce her time on gadgets like her phone or iPad. It was quite difficult at the start as we were still trying to know her and make her feel comfortable with us. We always give her advice about the importance of education and her future. We do this by constant open communication especially during dinner time where we also include our daughter.
With short-term home stay, communication is what we find challenging as they speak different language. But we always have ways to communicate with them, and this includes downloading the “Google Translate” app on our phone. This is a very effective communication tool that we use for our short-term homestay. We do our best to use anything that would help us communicate with them to make their experience fun, memorable and unforgettable one.

Have you also hosted students during short-term trips or study tours? If yes, which one/s (year/country/school)? How does short-term homestaying differ from long-term?

Jan 2017 – China – No2 Experimental Middle School of Henan.
March 2017 – Japan – Okayama Sozan Junior High School.
August 2017 – Taiwan – National Feng-Hsin Senior High School.
Sept 2107 – Taiwan – Kaohsiung Senior High School.
Feb 2018 – Korea – Seowon Elementary School.
March 2018 – Japan – Okayama Sozan Junior High School.
April 2018 – Thailand – Samseannok School and Chim Plee School.

There’s not much difference between short stay and long stay except the short stay ones goes so quick and we feel that time we spend with them is not enough. We are just starting to bond with them and get to know them better and then next few days they are due to go back to their countries which we really find sad especially for our kids. But the whole hosting experience is great. We are enjoying it because we get to learn about different countries and cultures.

Students embark on a cultural study tour of China

On 17 September, 15 students from Years 8 to 10 embarked on a cultural study tour of China with a jam-packed itinerary planned for their …

China Trip
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Students embark on a cultural study tour of China

On 17 September, 15 students from Years 8 to 10 embarked on a cultural study tour of China with a jam-packed itinerary planned for their 17-day trip.
This tour has received significant financial subsidisation from the Jiangsu Educational Services for International Exchange (JESIE). Calamvale Community College qualified for this support through its sister school affiliation with Nantong Senior High School.
Our students travelled around Beijing and visited many well-known locations including the Great Wall of China – an unmissable world wonder, the Forbidden City – the largest ancient palace in the world, the expansive grounds of Tiananmen Square, and the imperial gardens of Summer Palace.
The group then moved on to Nanjing in the Jiangsu province for sister school immersive activities at Nantong Senior High School. The students also visited educational and cultural sites throughout Nanjing, including Xuanwu Lake, Mendong Old Town, and Dr Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum.
Our students were also lucky enough to partake in the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival alongside their sister-school peers – and indeed the entire nation – during this momentous public holiday. The following week, our students stopped at Shanghai and marvelled at the supertall World Finance Centre skyscraper, Yu Garden, Old Town Market, and toured through Nanjing Road, one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. The group also experienced a Chinese Acrobat Show, met cuddly pandas at Shanghai Wild Animal Park, and took in the views at the Bund, Shanghai’s vibrant waterfront district.
This cultural study tour was an amazing opportunity for our students to dive into the Chinese way of life – from everyday school routines, to domestic life at home, through to national celebrations.
Our students were particularly inspired upon learning the story of Zhang Jian – an industrialist and leading social reformer who used his sizeable fortune to transform the lives of his fellow Nantong citizens by building schools, roads, medical facilities and libraries.
This cultural tour also piqued the interest of province locals, with reporters accompanying our students and teachers during their visit to a museum and an artist’s residence. During this news report, broadcast on Nantong Television on Friday 27 September, our students articulated their increased cultural sensitivity and broader understanding of China as a result of this immersive tour.
http://app.nttv.cn/h5appcz/article/201809/f628e4c90e744c5585d67870699057fe.html?isshare=1&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0

Global collaborative classes underway

Calamvale Community College continues to stay ahead of the curve by forging strong international connections in new and innovative ways. This term, the College has …

Global Classrooms
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Global collaborative classes underway

Calamvale Community College continues to stay ahead of the curve by forging strong international connections in new and innovative ways. This term, the College has initiated the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project, which involves real-time audio-visual exchange with primary school classrooms across the globe.
This project stems from an Education Queensland innovation and learning initiative – the College successfully bid for and received a grant which included the provision of advanced technological equipment. As such, this project utilises a digital platform to bridge between two continents and pursue meaningful global relationships whereby our students can broaden their international mindedness and sensitivity.
Our first global partnership, forged with Dongdae Primary School in South Korea, commenced in Semester 1. Collaboration sessions with Dongdae students have proven fruitful and stimulating for our Year 5 learners who were nominated by their teachers for this project.
Across the semester, collaborative classes with Dongdae have explored the unique aspects of daily life and school learning in both South Korea and Australia. Our students discussed their Media Arts projects, which centred on health and wellbeing, and responded to questions from their Korean buddies. Likewise, Dongdae’s students provided interesting information about the popular culture of South Korea, including an entertaining introduction to K-Pop.
Most recently, our students received a thoughtful welcome package from Dongdae, filled with delicious Korean snacks, key rings detailing our students’ Korean names, and traditional Korean flutes called sogeum. Over the next sessions, we intend to learn how to play this instrument, and it would be great to perform something together. The package was opened during a live-stream class – this allowed the Korean students to share in the excitement while their Calamvale friends explored their personalised gifts.
Our students intend to reciprocate by sending over some iconic Australian items and artefacts. This will be followed by a collaborative session during which our students will explain the significance of these items to their Korean counterparts, once again allowing for greater cultural insight and discussion.
We have also joined with Haemi Middle School in Seosan, South Korea for a class on Humanities lead by Mr. Matt Butterworth.
Over the coming weeks, Calamvale will initiate partnerships with new countries from across Asia. Our students and Mrs. Marie Moo will showcase Pepper the Robot to their new friends from Feng Seng Senior High School from Taiwan. Lead by Mrs. Francine Potts, a collaborative classroom focussing on hospitality and nutrition will operate in partnership with Cheonseong Middle School from Yangsan, South Korea.
Further live collaborations are in discussion with schools in China, Taiwan and Japan. The subsequent sessions will cover a variety of topics, including language exchange and enrichment, musical performances, and reading classes with Australian picture books.
As an IB World School, these collaborative relationships strengthen our commitment to fostering global citizens and help prepare our students for their global futures. We plan to integrate global collaboration into our units of inquiry and extend these sessions to benefit students across multiple year levels. The long-term goal is to offer every student the opportunity to collaborate with an international school through the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project.
We look forward to developing our partnerships with schools in South Korea and fostering invaluable relationships with others across the globe.

Our students accepted into Taiwan study tour

Calamvale Community College extends its congratulations Ms Ariel Tseng and to two high-performing Year 10 students – Sabrena Kuo and Tammy Thai – who have …

Taiwan study tour
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Our students accepted into Taiwan study tour

Sabrena Kuo

Tammy Thai

Calamvale Community College extends its congratulations Ms Ariel Tseng and to two high-performing Year 10 students – Sabrena Kuo and Tammy Thai – who have been accepted into the 2018 STEM Taiwan Study Tour, a unique international learning opportunity that is funded and organised by the Queensland Government.
On this immersive 12-day tour of New Taipei City held in December, our students will experience school life and STEM study, travel to captivating historical and cultural locations, and visit industry precincts where they will engage with real-life STEM implementations. A selection panel assessed student applications on a merit basis, including each student’s academic achievement in STEM subjects; their Mandarin proficiency and demonstrated interest in continuing language studies; and their capacity for ambassadorship as student representatives of Australia.
From this rigorous application process, only 2 teachers and 10 students were selected from across Queensland. The Department of Education International panel was greatly impressed with Ms Tseng’s high level of dedication she has shown to the teaching of the Chinese language and her efforts in preparing students to become global citizens. Executive Director of Department of Education International congratulated our students on their successful applications, and remarked that the “selection panel was immensely impressed with the high level of dedication [these students] have shown to the study of the Chinese language.”
Our College Principal has congratulated Ms Tseng and these talented students on their acceptance into this competitive-entry program. “Sabrena and Tammy should be immensely proud of their efforts and achievements. The College has always endeavoured to provide its students with the best STEAM opportunities, teaching, and preparation, and in this case, it has paid off tremendously.”
The College aims to increase STEAM uptake, foster active global citizens, and open international pathways for its most capable students with the introduction of International Baccalaureate programmes in the near future.

Calamvale represents at World Robot Summit

Two talented Calamvale students have recently returned from an exhilarating trip to Tokyo, Japan for the 2018 World Robot Summit (WRS). WRS is hosted by …

World Robot Summit
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Calamvale represents at World Robot Summit

Two talented Calamvale students have recently returned from an exhilarating trip to Tokyo, Japan for the 2018 World Robot Summit (WRS). WRS is hosted by the Japanese government with a view to build Japan’s presence in the global robotics industry ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The summit drew over 10,000 visitors and was held simultaneously with Japan Robot Week and other robotics-related events in Japan.
Calamvale Community College was the only independent public school in Queensland to compete in the Junior Category of the World Robot Challenge. This foray into the world of international competitive robotics marks the culmination of eight months’ work under the supervision of Mr Eamon Hickey. Year 10 students Michelle Chuong and Wenjie Luo worked tirelessly with their team to design, build, and program a robot from scratch.
The theme for this year’s Junior Competition was “Robots at Home” – our students addressed the issue of food preparation and fresh food intake for individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease or other illnesses that impair fine motor control and hand strength. In the Challenge’s Open Demonstration component, Michelle and Wenjie’s robot demonstrated its capacity to funnel items, such as fruits and vegetables, through a spinning blade which slices and dices them as necessary into a bowl.
Our team not only considered the technical performance of their robot, but also its real-life context – how it will interact with humans, its physical environment, and even other technological devices. The panel of judges asked our entrants to prove the authenticity of their robot as their own creation; they were prompted to explain the technical aspects of their robot, describe their choice of programming language and style, and outline the scope of their teamwork.
Our students’ robotics skills were then put to the test during three skill challenges, couched in deceptively simple language. In the “Robot Guide” test, teams had to guide another robot through an intricate house floorplan with various obstacles. The competing robots then shifted from being guides to being followers in the “Follow Me” test. This challenge had teams contending with speed variations and trajectory changes, and navigating through tight turns in order to follow another robot as accurately as possible. The final task was to “Pick Up” an object – our team had to programme their robot to consider all the variables we, as humans, automatically consider when we move an object, including size and shape, relative weight and height, and the drop-off location.
In the Global Collaboration event, all competitors entered into a new Open Demonstration Challenge with a new theme and newly forged teams. Our students joined together with university students from Thailand and Japan. With Halloween just around the corner, this multi-national team designed and executed a trick-or-treat robot that could dispense candy as requested into waiting bags. For our students, this was a unique opportunity to work with highly proficient individuals for whom robotics is a passion. What Michelle and Wenjie lacked in expertise and experience as secondary students, they made up for with their strong communication and ability to talk the assessors through their demonstration.
Both Michelle and Wenjie strongly believe that their classroom learning at Calamvale prepared them for this competition. Wenjie said, “we wouldn’t have progressed very fair if not for what we learnt in STEAM. The lessons provided us with the requisite knowledge in building, designing, and programming robots.” These two exceptional students also adopted a multidisciplinary approach by drawing from their experiences with challenging English assessment. “The English oral presentation really prepared us to speak confidently in front of expert audiences and improvise when necessary,” Michelle said. Our girls were thrilled to receive expert feedback which complimented their phenomenal oratory skills. “They said that if this was a speaking competition, we would’ve won.”
Wenjie and Michelle thoroughly enjoyed working together and persevering through stressful situations, language barriers and time constraints to deliver great innovative content.
The 2018 World Robot Summit drew international interest, and Calamvale Community College was spotlighted in the Queensland Premier’s media release which emphasised the sheer scope and magnitude of the event. You can read the media release here.

Japanese musician tours Calamvale

Calamvale recently welcomed Fumiko Yamazaki, a prolific and highly respected Japanese percussionist, for a week-long visit. Fumiko boasts a broad range of musical competencies – …

Japanese Musician
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Japanese musician tours Calamvale

Calamvale recently welcomed Fumiko Yamazaki, a prolific and highly respected Japanese percussionist, for a week-long visit.

Fumiko boasts a broad range of musical competencies – she plays the piano, vibraphone, marimba, the Japanese drum, as well as self-created percussion instruments made from bamboo. Fumiko has released several musical albums, writes for her own column in Niigata Prefecture, and has played for Japanese TV programs, including song shows on NHK, Japan’s national public broadcaster.

Fumiko is also a highly capable music educator. She studied classical music at a tertiary level, and has been actively involved in teacher education and instruction across the Japanese drum, ensemble music, and wind instruments. During a two-day workshop, our students were able to learn from a leading figure who is not only a highly skilled musician, but someone who understands how to successfully impart knowledge and foster musical talent.

Fumiko arrived on 29 October and performed with a marimba and vibraphone at the College’s Academic Awards Night. She performed two solo pieces – a traditional Japanese song, “Kagome Kagome”, as well as one of her own compositions titled “One”.

On 31 October, our teachers and students collaborated with Fumiko for a jam-packed concert in CPAC. Involved in this Concert were the Taiko students, Mr Mark Moore and Mr Dean Simmons. A total of eight pieces were performed at the Concert, three of which were Fumiko’s original compositions, and one was a modern Japanese folk song performance by guest soloist, Jennifer, from J Percussion.

A full and enthusiastic audience was captivated by the music created by the instruments such as the miyadaiko, shinobue, and student vocals. Fumiko wrapped up her tour with an exploration of our expansive campus and classroom observations.

Our Kaohsiung Sister School visit Calamvale

In mid-August, the College welcomed 13 students from Kaohsiung Girls Senior High School (KGHS) in Taiwan on their 2018 Study Tour. Calamvale Community College signed …

Kaohsiung Sister School
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Our Kaohsiung Sister School visit Calamvale

In mid-August, the College welcomed 13 students from Kaohsiung Girls Senior High School (KGHS) in Taiwan on their 2018 Study Tour. Calamvale Community College signed a Sister School Agreement in August 2015 – since then, Kaohsiung students have made four trips to the College, and we have made reciprocal journeys twice, with the third planned for 2019. Our respective schools principals have also maintained a positive relationship, with Executive Principal Lisa Starmer visiting Kaohsiung as an invited guest for their senior graduation ceremony in 2017.


This year, the Kaohsiung girls were treated to a back-to-back itinerary full of new experiences and adventures. They participated in an insightful and immersive Indigenous culture excursion to the Ngutuna-Lai Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Studies Centre in Inala. Our Taiwanese guests witnessed boomerang throwing, as well as Indigenous song, dance and storytelling. The also visited Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to see our native animals up close, followed by a trip to the beach and Mount Tambourine. The girls also arrived just in time for the Ekka – they were very excited to experience such an iconic Queensland event.
There were many on-campus events of mutual benefit to our students. The Kaohsiung girls visited a Year 9 APEX Mandarin class and gave an insightful and interactive presentation about the culture, scenery and food of Taiwan, the Kaohsiung province and its unique delights, and the vibrancy of KGHS.
Cherry, the KGHS Tour captain, expressed her excitement at seeing so many multicultural faces at the College. “We thought that there would be a large White population, but upon reaching, we saw so many more races and nationalities, which was amazing. Many of the [College’s] teachers are from different countries as well.”
She hopes to explore Australia and take advantage of our invaluable resources. “In Taiwan, there aren’t that many books written in English, so I’d like to visit a bookstore here in Brisbane. I would like to visit Australia again as a tourist, and be immersed in the English language.”
The girls said their farewells and departed on Monday. The College hopes to extend its productive relationship with KGHS by working collaboratively through the “Global Collaborative Classrooms” project. In the near future, we hope to hold live-stream music performances, invite submissions to our upcoming online art gallery, and hold English and Chinese language enrichment classes.

Saudi Arabian educators gain new skills

This term, the College welcomes 25 educators from Ministry of Education Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MEKSA) for a rotating 8-week programme of professional development and …

Saudi Arabian Visit CCC
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Saudi Arabian educators gain new skills

This term, the College welcomes 25 educators from Ministry of Education Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MEKSA) for a rotating 8-week programme of professional development and enrichment. The “Building Leadership through School Immersion” programme, facilitated by The University of Queensland, aims to raise the standard of English-language teaching through English proficiency enhancement and practical methodology training.
These educators will undertake an invaluable immersion experience at Calamvale Community College, under the supervision of our experienced teachers, and within authentic classroom contexts.
During this school experience placement at the College, these visiting educators will see the Queensland curriculum implemented in classrooms and gain practicum experience with our multicultural student base. They will also gain knowledge about how our students learn, what methodologies our teachers adopt, and how to engage with colleagues and the broader school community. It is hoped that such observation and participation will inform teacher practice and the applicability of this learning in Saudi Arabian classrooms.
October and November will see these educators rotating through several Year 7-12 classes, including English Literature, English Communication, English Enrichment, Humanities and Social Sciences, Philosophy and Reason, and Legal Studies.
At the end of their placement, these visiting educators will deliver an interactive presentation to our students about their own culture, such as the Arabic language and alphabet, traditional cuisine, dress and customs. As such, this programme will enrich the cultural knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity of both our school community and visiting teachers alike.

Taiwan Youth Folk Sport performance

In August, the College graciously welcomed the Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group for an enchanting performance that demonstrated to our Year 3 students the beauty …

Taiwan Youth Folk Sport performance
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Taiwan Youth Folk Sport performance

In August, the College graciously welcomed the Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group for an enchanting performance that demonstrated to our Year 3 students the beauty of cultural exchange, inheritance, and expression.
This youth troupe – established as a Taiwanese government initiative in 1987 – consists of 30 students aged between 11 and 14 from schools across Taipei City. These young performers have trained for two years in order to represent the richness of Taiwanese culture with their specialised skills, physical agility and creative flair.
Although Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group tours five continents across the globe, our students were incredibly fortunate because Calamvale was the only school chosen to host a performance in Queensland. The College maintains productive relationships with the sponsoring organisations, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Brisbane and the Hakka Association of Queensland.
Held at CPAC, this year’s folk art performance was characterised by a contemporary sporting flavour. The troupe showcased the performative elements of gymnastics,

badminton, and soccer alongside storytelling and modern dance. For example, diabolo spinning featured within a beautifully orchestrated dance; the audience was left in awe as the performers manipulated multiple diabolos simultaneously with amazing changes in speed, direction and movement. The performers also took rope skipping to a new level by weaving a touching story with whirs, waves, and loops. A

shuttlecock kicking display also demonstrated the stylistic precision and graceful agility of the young performers. The group also encouraged its young audience with a motivational dance performance about persevering against adversity and building resilience across all sporting endeavours.

The Taipei Youth Folk Sports Group also exposed our students to some of the festive and artistic practices that underpin Taiwanese culture. For example, the Group performed a harvest dance with bamboo sticks, traditionally performed by the aboriginal Taiwanese Amis Tribe in anticipation of an abundant harvesting season. The performers also illustrated cultural significance of the Dragon Boat Festival – one of the largest celebrations in Taiwan – by wearing scented sachets, enacting dragon boat races, and eating sticky rice dumplings. These cultural performance were complemented by traditional folk music and vibrant clothing.
Throughout this performance, our students learnt about the value of preserving our diverse cultures, participating wholeheartedly in sports, and refining our unique talents.

Calligraphy workshop with Taiwanese artist

On 18 September, our Junior School Art Club and Year 9 LOTE students were lucky enough to participate in two calligraphy workshop lead by Kuo …

Calligraphy workshop
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Calligraphy workshop with Taiwanese artist

On 18 September, our Junior School Art Club and Year 9 LOTE students were lucky enough to participate in two calligraphy workshop lead by Kuo Hsiang-Ling – a prolific and highly respected calligraphist renowned both within Taiwan and internationally. Kuo maintains a distinguished reputation and has been invited to participate in exhibitions held across France, It

aly, and Canada, instruct students in the Philippines, and take up an honorary director position in Hong Kong.
During these workshops, our students seized the opportunity to dabble in calligraphy, develop new artistic competencies, and broaden their cultural mindedness.
Our students gained an appreciation for the historical and cultural significance of calligraphy, as well as the technical prowess required to accentuate the beauty of handwriting with only a brush, ink, and paper.
These workshops were organised specifically with our young students in mind, which is testament to the multidisciplinary and international connections the College maintains.

Kuo Hsiang-Ling has come to Brisbane to exhibit her calligraphy at the Chun Tian Art Gallery in Priestdale from 15 September to 10 November. The exhibition – titled “Colour and Ink” – showcased the distilled purity, tranquillity, power and vista of Kuo’s oeuvre.

Contact Details

INTERNATIONAL STAFF LISA STARMER – Executive Principal DAVID HEPPER – International Programs & Business Manager CHRISTINE WILLIAMS – International Coordinator LEESA MASON – Homestay Coordinator SHARON …

Contact Details
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INTERNATIONAL STAFF

  • LISA STARMER – Executive Principal
  • DAVID HEPPER – International Programs & Business Manager
  • CHRISTINE WILLIAMS – International Coordinator
  • LEESA MASON – Homestay Coordinator
  • SHARON VOLSCHANK – Head of Special Education Services Prep – Year 12
  • MELIA WANG – EALD Teacher

CONTACT DETAILS

MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS DAVID HEPPER
Email – dhepp0@eq.edu.au
Phone – +613712 6333
Mail – 11 Hamish Strett, Calamvale QLD 4116
Web – www.calamvalecomcoll@eq.edu.au

EDUCATION QUEENSLAND
Website – www.education.qld.gov.au

EQ Interntional
Website – www.eqi.com.au

Principal’s Welcome

Welcome to Calamvale Community College, a P-12 College providing thirteen years of education for your child on a single campus within a supportive framework of …

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Principal’s Welcome

Welcome to Calamvale Community College, a P-12 College providing thirteen years of education for your child on a single campus within a supportive framework of high expectation.  Our College prides itself in providing a wide range of learning opportunities across the academic, cultural and sporting fields to provide your child with rich and rewarding learning experiences that will lead and support them as they grow from child into adulthood.

A P-12 College provides a unique opportunity for students to grow through their childhood and adolescent years within the nurturing environment of a single community.  The stability and familiarity of that community allows the development of a culture of ‘high challenge’ in learning.  We know that high achievement occurs when there is high expectation.  We also know that children and adolescents need confidence to accept the challenges that are presented – our community enables both the high expectation and the confidence to accept the challenge and achieve to their greatest potential.

Our College has welcomed 90 International students and is set an culturally diverse community speaking 106 languages.  Our programs support a broad range of bilingual students, some of whom are acquiring their third language.  Diversity is celebrated and encouraged and our students through their travel, interactions and language have become world citizens.

Positioning our College as an International Baccalaureate World School offering Primary Years Program (PYP), Diploma for Years 11 and 12 and about to begin candidacy for the Middle Years Program in 2020 has been a deliberate and strategic decision on the part of the College Council.

The PYP captivates our youngest learners investing in their curiosity and giving them opportunities for self-direction and self-regulation, underpinned by the principles of the Learner Profile.  Students work collaboratively with their teachers and each other learning the inter-relationships within the curriculum which enables students to follow their curiosity and discover and experience their learning.

The Diploma Program has provided a unique opportunity in Queensland schools to study literature in students’ mothertongue as well as using an international certified examination process to provide direct access to universities across the world.  The demanding entry process for Diploma, the academic rigour and the balance provided by the student-centred, action-focused learning combine to produce an outstanding education to meet the diverse needs of a uniquely positioned community.  Our students graduate as the young leaders for our world:  collaborative, responsive, resilient, curious, creative and clever.

Our College’s Foundation Motto is ‘building on success’ and from that first letter scribed or that first friendship made on the playground, through to the satisfaction of mastering complex problems or conquering a fear and performing on stage to achieving a personal best on the track; we will be there to encourage and celebrate your child.

Building success is based on our values of respect, responsibility, resilience and initiative; all that we do and expect is inherent in these values.  Our community comprises students, parents, extended families, affiliated associations and businesses, all of whom take their responsibility to educate our young people very seriously; we are in partnership as we take this journey through to Year 12 graduation and all the possibilities of what lies beyond.

I am honoured to be College Principal of an institution that provides an individual learning journey for each and every one of our 2200 students.  Our College organisation defies the anonymity that new parents might expect within such a large student population; I can assure you that every student is known and planned for within the learning communities of the Junior School or the Houses of the Secondary School.  As a parent with a question about a student, there is a school community leader who is the single point of contact ensuring accessibility when there is a query and that the communication channel is strong.

I invite you to browse through this journal to discover all that is on offer when you join the Calamvale Community and look forward to providing your child with every opportunity to fulfil their potential at CCC.

 

Lisa Starmer

Executive Principal

 

 

A first in Queensland: Calamvale Scholars reign victorious

Emerging triumphant against thousands of competitors from across 50 countries and more than 290 teams, students from Calamvale Community College have been invited to Yale …

World Scholars
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A first in Queensland: Calamvale Scholars reign victorious

Emerging triumphant against thousands of competitors from across 50 countries and more than 290 teams, students from Calamvale Community College have been invited to Yale University in the United States to compete in a global gambit against schools from across the world.

This competition – the World Scholar’s Cup – maintains a prestigious reputation and is considered one of the most comprehensive and formidable contests offered to students worldwide.
In a truly astounding victory, Calamvale Community College has emerged as the only school in Queensland to be recognised as a Champion Team in the Junior Division of the Cup’s Global Round. The College’s students also walked away with several gold and silver medals across multiple events.

This Cup journey for Calamvale has been months in the making – their students entered into this global thought area back in April during the regional Brisbane Round. Here, the Junior Division team picked up their first trophy as Overall Champion.

Now, our talented local students have the opportunity to travel to Yale University with the ambition of being crowned Tournament Champions.
The Cup’s theme for 2018 – An Entangled World – resonates across the intertwined and inseparable subject areas of History, Arts and Music, Science, Social Studies, and Literature. This interdisciplinary entanglement is by no means superficial; competitors must commit to significant study and preparation beyond the comfort of the classroom.
The Cup requires scholars to consider, apply, and extrapolate their knowledge in unexpected and confronting ways. They must delve into complex, real-life issues such as the ethics of cryptocurrency and black market trade, the history of conspiracy, and the veracity of flashbulb memory. Competitors participate across collaborative events including scavenger hunts, keynote speeches, and panel discussions.

The College’s Executive Principal Lisa Starmer commended her students, saying that they strongly exemplified the curious, creative, and clever mindset for which the school is widely known.
“This isn’t any ordinary competition – these students are tackling real-world issues with all the boldness, tenacity, and ingenuity required from international diplomats. To participate and perform so impressively against such competition shows that the problem solving and critical thinking skills of our students are second to none,” she said.
The College’s organising teacher, Ruth Smith, has dedicated countless hours to preparing her students for this unique competition. She sees the Cup as an invaluable opportunity for her students. “Our teams continue to extend themselves – they have been preparing outside of school, researching in the subject areas, and building their interdisciplinary skills. This has taken great dedication from our students, and their commitment will place them in excellent standing for the competition,” she said.

Despite a steep learning curve, Calamvale Community College has firmly entered into this global tournament with multiple trophies and personal commendations from the organisers.
As for the students, they seem unfazed by the monumental challenges ahead. They’re cool, calm and collected, and they have their sights locked on nabbing bigger and better alpacas – the Cup’s furry mascot.

“I am very excited to debate with my teammates and demonstrate the skills we’ve learned in past training sessions. Outside of the academic events, I can’t wait to adopt another alpaca!” said Sofia Juria, a member of the winning Junior team.

This year’s competitors have all been members of the College’s APEX program which supports gifted and talented students. The College has solidified its commitment to preparing students for global futures by gaining accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
An IB qualification – recognised in over 75 countries and 2,000 universities across the world – will unlock international opportunities for its most capable students. The College will offer the IB Diploma and Primary Years Programmes in 2019.
For now, Calamvale’s students have set their sights on international success – let’s hope that their inaugural entry into the World Scholar’s Cup continues to yield unprecedented triumphs.