Spring is here and many new ideas blossomed this past month in our Upper School:

• Students began to gain momentum on their Advisory Community Action Projects.
• Seniors deepened their Diversity Awareness and watched their last episode of the "Black in Madrid" series.
• Seniors met with their Grade Level Leader, Mr. Ducharme, to talk about graduation, prize day, the prom, and other end-of-year events.
• Grade 10 students attended Departmental Course Presentations to prepare for their course selection process as they transition to Grade 11.
• College Counselors went to the UK and France to visit different universities and in the process made connections to better serve our students.
• One week of Neurodiversity celebrations extended itself to the rest of the month.

These and more were highlights of the past month.

Do read and enjoy this month's edition!

Tessa John-Guerra

US Counselor

With the help of students in the learner support program, Upper School Learner Support teachers Collin Swanson and Jacki Brick held four teacher workshops to help increase awareness of the barriers faced by neurodivergent thinkers. Also, in mid-March, Mr. Swanson and Ms. Brick sponsored Neurodiversity Week in the Upper School by giving a presentation at a community meeting in order to address the stigma surrounding neurodiverse individuals and to promote awareness, acceptance, and respect.

Neurodiversity awareness is a growing movement that acknowledges the fact that everyone thinks, learns, and sees the world in their own unique way. The awareness campaign exists to encourage acceptance of neurodivergent thinkers and to end the stigma surrounding students who receive support or accommodations at ASM.

Mr. Swanson and Ms. Brick

Learner Support Teachers

In the video below you will see our assembly on Neurodiversity conducted by Mr. Swanson and Ms. Brick. Students of all grade levels in the Upper School attended and gained a great deal of knowledge and value from what was shared.

"In my personal experience, having a stigmatized neurodiversity is often a taboo subject; so the neurodiversity assembly for all high school teachers and students was impactful. The assembly not only demystified what having a stigmatized neurodiversity is, but also how other’s actions reflect on the person with a stigmatized neurodiversity. It is important because it makes others reflect on their reactions towards those who have accommodations. The assembly was another excellent step to building an inclusive and comfortable environment for those who have a stigmatized neurodiversity."

Sofia Politte

Senior

"Neurodiversity Awareness is extremely important because it teaches us that we all learn in our different way, which helps us create an inviting and accepting community.

At the assembly last week, I learned that more people than we think are Neurodiverse."

Alfonso Kurtis de Alzaga

Sophomore

"I think that it's important to shed light on the differences we all have around us, so that teachers and students are more considerate of their actions towards them. For example, learning techniques and the way we treat people should be considered with neurodiverse brains. If people knew more about neurodiversity, then they would think twice before doing certain thing about it.

I learned and was surprised that many celebrities have neurodiverse brains, and I found it very interesting how society has not made it very obvious, and it has been concealed from the public."

Jimena Roces

Junior

Widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory of relativity, but he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics.

Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 23-25, College Counselor John McCracking visited Paris College of Art, Parsons Paris, and The American University of Paris.

Paris College of Art offers six different Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) majors, including Film Arts in association with Emerson College in Boston. They also have a study abroad program, summer intensive programs, certificate programs, and several Masters of Fine Arts programs.

Parsons Paris (associated with the New School in New York) offers three BFA programs in Art, Media, and Technology, Fashion Design, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Strategic Design and Management. They also offer a Masters in Fashion Studies.

The American University of Paris is a comprehensive liberal arts American style university. This university has a global feel with 103 nationalities represented in the student body, and 21 different nationalities among faculty members. They offer 26 majors, and 39 minors. Average class size is 15 students. This university is a great option for global minded students.

Last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 21-23, College Counselor Marj Southworth visited nine UK universities. They ranged from highly selective, an urban campus, large, small, fairly new to old and historic, rural, less selective and defined verses undefined campuses. In every case, Ms. Southworth was able to have a campus tour and speak to a university admissions representative. It was a lot of schools in three days, but she felt it was really beneficial. If any of these schools are of interest to you and you’d like to talk with Ms. Southworth about her impressions, please let her know. Schools visited were:

University of Bristol

University of West England Bristol

University of Bath

Bath Spa University

Oxford University

Oxford Brooks

University of Reading

Cambridge University

Anglia Ruskin University

Ms. Southworth and Mr. McCracking will use all this information gained from their respective trips to better advise students interested in Universities in France and the UK.

It's simple. There's no right or wrong way to go. Just focus on the ways ideas are linked to each other.

How to get started:

👇🏽

1. Identify a concept.
2. Using your memory or notes, focus on how concepts are related to each other.
3. Illustrate it as you see fit. You can use your creativity here in many ways!

Your drawing or illustration is your Concept Map and it can be used as a great study tool.

The video below gives you an idea about how to create a Concept Map, in a fun a way!

...and see how it transforms or enhances your understanding of what you are trying to study!

If you did, click on the grey button below to see what you missed out on. This is also a GREAT opportunity to go back and revisit all what you saw when you attended.

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system.

It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, developmental biology, cytology, computer science and mathematical modeling to understand the fundamental and emergent properties of neurons, glia and neural circuits.

The understanding of the biological basis of learning, memory, behavior, perception, and consciousness has been described by Eric Kandel as the "epic challenge" of the biological sciences.

Please watch the 2 videos below to get a better understanding of what all it is about!

It is about a teenage girl on the autism spectrum in the process of finding her people and, and learning what it takes to be a true friend.

Everyone else in Tally's grade seems excited for their class trip... And she knows she is supposed to be too. Ever since her classmates found out she is autistic, Tally has felt more comfortable being herself."

Please find out more about the book below:

DO YOU KNOW ME?

Written by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott
Narrated by Bailey Carr

Book Published by Scholastic Inc
Audio Published by Scholastic Audio

Digital Retail Download ISBN: 978-1-338-76158-0
Digital Library Download ISBN: 978-1-338-76159-7

Click on the Play button below to listen to an excerpt of the Audiobook!

You can also get it on Amazon here YOU CAN SEE ME SERIES COLLECTION OF 3 BOOKS SET

By Libby Scott, Rebecca Westcott

Book 1 - Ways to Be Me

Book 2 - Do You Know Me?

Book 3 - Can You See Me?

1. Please go over the past newsletters where you will find different study strategies under the sub-heading of Study Skills.
2. Then go over all the different professions explored under the sub-heading of Career Guidance.

Email: tessajohn@asmadrid.es
Website: asmadrid.org
Location: American School of Madrid, Calle América, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
Phone: 34 917401902