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How to Win a Scholarship

September 14, 2020 by admin

Scholarships are essentially financial aid toward schools and courses which are gifted, rather than loans or need-based grants that accrue interest from the moment it is taken out. With a scholarship, part or all the funding will be covered, so that talented students have the option to further their career debt-free while being treated as an investment.

While scholarships are a gift, they also come with strings attached, which are usually rules and clauses which must be kept intact to receive the scholarship money. That being said, where does a student even begin to look for winning a scholarship?

This piece will serve as a guide on what to do and where to look.

Write a Standout Resume for a Scholarship

Those who are looking to win a scholarship need to be able to stand out from the rest, which is where an exceptional resume comes in.

A resume should cover anything from extracurricular activities, awards that have been achieved, accomplishments, and interests. A resume can also help support an application and allow teachers to write letters of recommendation that coincide with the content.

For those that love sport, browse through asmscholarships.com.

Apply to as Many Scholarships as Possible

Like most things, scholarships is a numbers game, and the more you apply for, the more it should statistically increase the chances of obtaining one. A student can have all the skills, goals, and achievements necessary for a scholarship, but luck is also an extremely important factor too.

That said, it is important that scholarships are applied for only if the student matches all the criteria. The same applications or essays can be used for each scholarship to save time, but make sure they are personalized to the specific scholarship, and be sure to proofread everything!

Do Not Miss Scholarship Deadlines

Half of the deadlines for scholarships are during the fall, and the other half is during spring, so it is important to be prepared. Start searching for scholarships from the moment grades have been confirmed and pay attention to what the scholarship requires of the student. There are scholarships for different levels of education, but the terms and conditions can vary, such as already having a college, or another progressive position confirmed.

Always Complete the Optional Scholarship Application Work

If any scholarship applications that are being applied for have any “optional work” attached to it, make sure you do it. This not only shows that the student is both serious and keen about the scholarship, but it also shows initiative and the willingness to go the extra mile.

This is another one of those tips that will help student applications stand out from the ones who opted out of their extras.

Do Not Wait to Apply to a Scholarship Last Minute

There is nothing worse than having minutes to spare, only for the internet to crash, the laptop to die, or the essay that has been so carefully constructed to disappear into the computer abyss with no trace. Leaving applications until the last minute means there is no room for error, even if the error is no one’s fault. So, make sure to leave plenty of time to get the application in.

Making Use of a Good School Design to Encourage Learning

May 23, 2018 by admin

One World International School is one of many excellent international schools in Singapore. But what sets them apart is how they have used the design for their school to enhance their student’s learning. Yes, all 32,000 square metres of campus is thoughtfully designed to support their world-renowned holistic education framework.

School design and layout is something some of us guardians tend to neglect when choosing an institution for our kids. A study made by the University of Salford and the architects at Nightingale Associates showed that student performance improved by 25% in well-designed schools.

It is hard to deny influence when the improvements are at a whopping 25%. So to understand the role of school design, let’s look into the campus of One World International School.

Adaptable learning environment

One World International School uses an holistic educational philosophy and a values-based learning model. It means that they focus more on encouraging a student’s natural curiosity through positive reinforcement. So most of their work, after discussion, is collaborative and highly practical.

Further, this kind of curriculum does not just expect them to memorise their lessons, but encourages them to share their ideas and theories in class. For this reason, their classrooms need to adapt to the kind of learning environment they are trying to create.

Each classroom is fitted with module furniture so that students can easily group themselves and face each other for their discussions. There is a 24-student limitation so that the noise level is manageable.

Other classroom design involved are the amount of natural light that comes in the room, temperature, and orientation.

Innovative technology

The school does not hesitate to make full use of available technology to improve the learning experience. From using tablets, interactive LED screens, to high quality speakers and access control lockers, One World International School as it all.

Vibrant outdoor school landscape

One World International School has 32,000 square metres of property, so of course it has an impressive outdoor landscape.

Their outdoor field can be accessed by all students and teachers. Well, actually they have 4 sporting fields, a miniature forest that has various flowers and plants, a Sensory Garden, and a Berms and Sand Pit.

The school wants to help students appreciate nature, as well as assist the teachers in teaching them about the importance of being mindful of the environment. It is truly a welcome break from the four walls of a classroom, for both teacher and student.

Additionally, making all sporting fields readily available promotes a healthy and active lifestyle to keep students fit.

Maybe the primary reason why we look over a school’s design is we forget that it isn’t supposed to be bleak and dreary. What you want is to look for an institution that promotes school-life balance. We want our kids to be ready for the future, but we want them to have fun doing so.

So let’s take a page from One World International School and start looking at proper school design.

The Benefits of a Global Montessori Education Program

September 27, 2017 by admin

Maria Montessori is known for her theory of philosophy and education which is widely being used by various schools today. Here system, aptly called the Montessori Method, focuses on developing a child’s own propensity to take initiative and improve their natural abilities. This is done especially through applying the theories and concepts that they have learnt in class. The Montessori Method also encourages children to learn at their own pace, which allows educators to consider and understand the individual needs of the children.

To accomplish the environment the Montessori Method envisions, schools will need to set-up a learning environment specifically for three significant age groups:

2–2.5 years
5–6 years
6–12 years

Then various activities are created that will involve repetition, abstraction, communication, and exploration. The idea is to teach children in the 2-2.5 year-old age group will be taught to be inquisitive and explore their environment, the children in the 2.5-6 year-old age group will be taught to understand and repeat definitions of concepts, and the last group of children are taught to discuss abstract concepts through reasoning and creativity.

International schools adapt the Montessori Method because of its holistic approach. Particularly in a school called the Global Indian International School (GIIS), they use a Global Montessori Program (GMP) that works hand-in-hand with their award winning ‘Nine Gems’ educational framework to make sure that they are able to produce students who are socially responsible leaders who value empathy, critical thinking, and community. So there are obvious advantages to adapting the Montessori Method and combining it with an educational system that can support the method’s goals.

Creating a stimulating learning environment through the Montessori Method

As was mentioned earlier, the Montessori Method focuses on three developmental stages, each of which has learning goals that needs to be achieved. This means that schools and its educators should be able to provide an environment that encourages intellectual, emotional, and physical development throughout their whole stay in school.

International schools like the GIIS accomplishes this by adapting an ‘understanding by design’ educational format, which they famously call the ‘Nine Gems’. But without needing to enumerate all nine, the best way to comprehend ‘understanding by design’ is remembering that this kind of learning is divided into this basic taxonomy:

Repetition of knowledge – when students can define textbook definitions after acquiring knowledge
Application – when students can apply the knowledge through collaborative projects, reports, and so on
Creative thinking – when students can articulate their own thoughts that may or may not agree with the knowledge

Once a student is able to go through this taxonomy, it is the only time when we can truly say that they are able to arrive at their conclusions logically and soundly. The Montessori Method and the GIIS Nine Gems does this for various aspects of school life — meaning, it is not just for the academic, but also for performance and visual art, sports, and community care.

If we wish for our kids to get the best that education has to offer, look no further than an international school, with its diverse educational landscape, that adapts the Montessori Method of holistic development.