When we were contacted by one of Izumi Takase's participants from her workshops, we were happy to find out more about iPositiveLINC. We asked Izumi to explain what she does and how positive discipline can benefit parents as well as their children.
Why did you start? What has been the inspiration?
I first came across Positive Discipline (PD) in 2013 with the book by Jane Nelsen, when my son was 11. To set the background, I am Japanese, naturalized Swiss, married twice to different nationalities. Within this multi-lingual, cultural and blended family environment, I have a son (a single child from my first marriage) who is living with us and spending half of his holidays with his father (and his new family abroad). I was also a single mom when my son was a toddler. When my son reached his pre-teen – and grew 20cm in one summer, I found myself looking up at a tall (and I’m short) grumpy/sulking boy with whom I lost my means of communication (and authority…) amongst other challenges. Our relationship was getting challenging and I was lost with this ‘stranger’ who is my son. I searched for various parenting books and came across Positive Discipline – which changed everything, much beyond my expectations.
It was back in 2014 when knowitall.ch wrote an article about TrulyBalance at this link. We caught up with Annette Ebbinghaus when we found she had rebranded and is now offering a whole new series of online courses under the names beChill, beBalanced, and beElite.
Annette wrote to us, "I did a rebranding in 2020 as I had just successfully completed a nine year stint in the Swiss court system seeking justice for a mishap while building our family and my business a home. With this saga behind me I could focus on my passion, teaching people how live the life they really desire. I have three areas of focus and I developed an individual brand for each."
beChill for is for everything to do with education. Her main focus here is with adolescents, teaching them how to transform anxious energy into calm confidence. She has been working with teens in this capacity since 2008 and this year she begin to train other Sophrologists to deliver her program in both Australia and the United States.
She goes on to say, "What makes this course so interesting for students is that they learn about the special attributes of the adolescent brain while learning techniques to help them manage rumination, fear, loneliness, feelings of inadequacy and physical manifestations of stress. On the flip side, the high achievers that perhaps are perfectionist or elite athletes, these students learn how to give their mind a much needed break and how to reset the nervous system so they do not burn themselves out in their pursuits."
Did you know that La Côte International School (LCIS) offers both an international programme, leading to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme at graduation, and a bilingual English-French Swiss Maturité preparation programme? The programme at LCIS could certainly be of interest to families that want their children to have access to a more international and English-French bilingual environment than the public offers, who want to provide their child with the extra personalisation that comes with small class sizes and who want to keep the doors open to switch into the IB programme or be able to continue their studies in the Swiss Maturité in order to facilitate access to Swiss Universities (as well as any others of course).
We thought our readers would be interested to know about this innovative Suisse Maturité programme that provides the best of both worlds in terms of bilingualism and pedagogical approach. It is currently available to students aged 10 to 15 years old (grades 7 to 11 HarmoS). The Swiss Maturité curriculum is based on the plan d’études romand (PER) and provides students with a solid education, opening doors to higher education, including access to local Swiss universities.
The schedule of classes each week is evenly split between French and English instruction, with the addition of German courses, as required for the federal diploma. At LCIS, students in the Maturité section join those in the international curriculum for all of their courses in English. They also have the opportunity to participate in the variety of activities offered as part of the international curriculum, such as study trips, sports camps or international expeditions. This regular immersion not only promotes bilingualism, it also helps to develop social skills, creativity and a curiosity to learn.
It struck me as another one of those colloquial phrases that differentiate English from French. I wrote to a friend, "Je me tiens les pouces" to wish her luck (literally translates as holding my thumbs). I didn't tell her I was "crossing my fingers" but she sent me back an emoji of this: 🤞 ! Another way the French-speakers have had to adapt, there is no emoji of someone holding their thumb. The older generations of French-speakers are not familiar with our English expression.
If you search for "pouce" or thumb in the emojis, you will find 👍 👎 and "doigt" gives you this 👌 as well (finger).
Can you think of another translation twister? When I made the decision to speak French without fear, I didn't care if I was wrong, if my phrases were anglicized, if the gender of the words was mixed up (and then mixed up again). The advantage to this "dive in head first" attitude paid off. It gave me the confidence I needed to put together a sentence and be understood. It gave me the courage to put myself out there, the brashness to be part of a conversation, the grit to search for the right vocabulary.
Yes, you will get the typical "rolling eyes" from some people who are uptight and cringe at the mistakes and de-grammaticalized sentences you've invented. Don't worry. Be bold, have the nerve to move forward, and you will see results. What you might be lacking is the fearlessness to construct a bad sentence. When you stumble through your mislaid words and pronunciation, the listener probably understands 80% of what you are saying... it is enough for them to mentally place the puzzle pieces and respond to you.
Press release: The British School of Geneva’s newly-launched programme, The Ark, is unique in Geneva: an English-language centre for autistic teens, part of a mainstream school, teaching the English National Curriculum as well as the life skills these students will need as they prepare for adulthood.
Launched in September 2020, this specialised unit is dedicated to providing English-speaking teens with autism an opportunity to develop their academic, social, personal and employability skills. Students in The Ark follow a curriculum based on their Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is reviewed each term.
In addition to delivering the English National Curriculum, BSG is registered with ASDAN, whose programmes and qualifications help young people develop knowledge and skills for learning, work and life. Based on students’ levels and needs, ASDAN modules taught could include such topics as Expressive Arts, Preparing for Adulthood and Living Independently.
The daily schedule in The Ark is designed to best accommodate students’ learning, sensory and social skills needs. Accordingly, morning sessions are geared toward developing English language and Mathematics skills from a functional perspective, and advancing in other academic subjects including French.
Afternoons, the focus is on expanding practical skills with the aim of achieving greater independence and employability. Activities, each conceived with a specific goal and delivered to best suit the level and learning profile of each student, include cooking, social skills outings in the community, managing a small budget, and shopping trips using money.
The Ark’s dedicated space was designed to address the learning needs of our students, with particular attention paid to providing a suitable sensory environment. The school has two classrooms: one with traditional layout for teaching a small group, and the other in which students can work at TEACCH stations for more independent sessions and learning consolidation activities.
This centre also has a kitchen in which students practise cooking and related life skills, as well as a messy play area, and a sensory room for breaks and quiet time. Importantly, as The Ark is not rigidly structured around the timetable of the broader school, teachers have the flexibility to adapt and shape students’ days as required.
BSG is committed to both inclusion and reverse inclusion. The Ark is an integral part of BSG, and students enroled in this programme enjoy breaks and lunches with their mainstream peers, and participate in school-wide events and activities. Some students in The Ark may choose to join mainstream lessons, if and when it is appropriate. Happily, The Ark welcomes select students from across the school to participate in life skills sessions and other small group activities, such as cooking and crafts.
The Ark is an integral part of the British School of Geneva and adheres to the same standards of excellence, student safety, care and respect as the school as a whole.
The Art Centre for Autism
BSG The British School of Geneva
Av. de Châtelaine 95A
1219 Châtelaine, GE
022 795 75 10
info@britishschoolgeneva.ch
https://britishschoolgeneva.ch/#p7
