The Grade 7 Social Media Takeover is a result of a collaborative partnership between Middle School English teachers and the ISB Marketing team. The project is an enhanced unit in which students have learned about the important structures and writing for authentic audiences - resulting in the chance to be published live on the school’s website and through social media channels.
Bringing People Together: ISB’s Unique Assemblies
Written by Toh in collaboration with ISB Marketing & Communications
As one of the best international schools in Thailand, International School Bangkok (ISB) believes that everyone should feel included. One such effective way of doing this is by building community. One of the best ways to do this: being in a shared space with 400 peers, disco lights, and epic music. That’s what ISB’s Middle School (MS) Panthers get to experience once every month! Our pre-teen Panthers definitely deserve some fun and bonding after a week of learning and work. Our unique assemblies are led by the Assembly Council, the same inspiring MS Panthers who are the key to making these assemblies fun.
A Community United
Wonder why assemblies exist? To build community, of course! Although every assembly looks different, each and every one gathers the whole MS community together and focuses on the ISB values and attributes, celebrations of achievements, upcoming events, fun memories of past events. The whole MS gets to unite for a brief moment. The best part is that those assemblies contain surprises, like dance parties!
Mr. Przybylski, the spectacular manager of the Assembly Council, quotes: “Because we are all watching the same thing, and we are all celebrating the same thing and then we can cheer, and we can clap together. And there’s something about when we’re all there and we all see it, then after that, we all have the same experience and we can talk about it.”
Celebration of Uniqueness
One of the best things that our assemblies have is the MSGT (Middle School’s Got Talent): a fun talent show hosted by the Assembly Council, to give people a chance to show off their skills and just be themselves; singing, dancing, and everything in between.
Other acts that make assemblies fun are unique, silly, and mostly come from student ideas, even during the COVID-19 pandemic where assemblies were kept to grade-levels only. Even teachers join in on the fun, showing the community that they have a fun side to themselves, and aren’t as strict as you’d think.
Mr. Przybylski also remarks: “And people tell me now that like, they- they get excited about assemblies ‘cause they’re always exciting because you never know what’s gonna happen.”
Hard Work for Fun for All
It’s not every week that assemblies happen - the Assembly Council, one of ISB’s leadership councils where students take charge, powers up the backstage of everything related to assemblies. Working in the council is hard work but rewarding in the end, as their efforts can put a smile on everyone’s face. Many jobs have to be covered - MCs (Master of Ceremonies), slide makers, scriptwriters, DJs, and many more.
Uniquely, ISB
To sum things up, the MS assemblies of ISB are fun, unique and most of all bring the community together. These assemblies are a significant part of what makes ISB unique in so many ways. Want your kids to join in on the fun? Complete an inquiry here and we’ll be in touch.