We had a chat with Keshav Nair, Chatsworth International School’s top IB MYP eAssessment scorer to get the full lowdown on the IB MYP programme at Chatsworth
When it comes to providing a holistic education, we know we can always count on Chatsworth International School to give children a great balance across the arts, academics and sports. It’s a tough job but the folks at Chatsworth are certainly up to the task, thanks to their dedication to encouraging their students to find a purpose in the wider world around them. How do they do it? Through their International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP), which gives students skills that will help them succeed in the their academic and social lives. The MYP programme culminates with the full MYP eAssessment, and Chatsworth is one of only two international schools in Singapore that requires students to sit the full exam.
So far, the results produced by its students for the last two years have been outstanding. Keshav Nair, a student at Chatsworth since 2008, recently scored 54 out of 56 maximum points in the last eAssessment, which is amazing since the worldwide average score is 32.65. We recently had a chat with Keshav about his experience at Chatsworth and his tips on what it takes to be a top scorer:
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
Hi! My name is Keshav Nair, and I’ve been a student at Chatsworth International School for the past 10 years. I love to play basketball and have been doing so for about six years. It is one of the only things that lets me truly relax and forget about the stress of school. In my free time, I enjoy watching Netflix, the NBA and working out at the gym. I also like listening to music and taekwondo.
What is your favourite thing about being a student at Chatsworth?
My favourite thing about being a student at Chatsworth is the community at school. I feel completely at home. The students at Chatsworth are wonderful to be around and there isn’t ever a boring day at school. I can always count on my friends to cheer me up. I also love that teachers are very involved in the school community, and they have a great relationship with the students.
Who has helped you the most in getting to where you are today?
My parents have helped me the most in getting where I am today I’m lucky to have parents who are supportive of my interests. I feel that if they were different, my approach towards my academics as well as my personality would not be the same. My teachers and supportive friends have also helped me in similar ways.
What was your biggest challenge in your MYP journey and how did you overcome it?
I would say that my biggest challenge in MYP was definitely meeting deadlines and managing my time in order to do so. With the additional pressure of eAssessments, it was tough to manage my regular load and commit to extra curricular activities. I especially struggled when my ePortfolios were all due on the same day. I overcame these difficulties by keeping my end goal in mind and staying optimistic.
What personal achievement are you most proud of?
I am definitely most proud of my score for the eAssessments. This is because I know I put a lot of work into preparing for these assessments and sacrificed my free time to prepare. It was a great feeling knowing that my hard work paid off.
Being awarded the scholarship was a great confidence booster for me above all. This achievement told me that I have what it takes to achieve a high score and succeed in the IB. I’m currently one semester into the program, and although the pressure of keeping the scholarship is ever-present, I feel that it motivates me more to give it my 100% in all the subjects.
Which MYP experience was most important to you?
The Personal Project was the most important for me because it taught me how to complete an extended assignment. With the Personal Project, my skills in planning, time management and reflecting were put to the test because of the details I needed to put in. Another great MYP experience is our excursion trips as part of our CEW (Curriculum Enhancement Week). In these trips, I always have a lot of fun with new and old friends. Travelling with friends is always a great experience.
Tell us more about your Personal Project – how did you pick your project? What did you learn from this experience?
My personal project was to create a model electric car. Before Year 11, I had very limited exposure to electrical systems in my studies, although it was something I always had interest in. I felt that the Personal Project would be a great way for me to explore one of my interests. I knew that I wanted to have an end product, something that I could show to the audience.
The most important thing I learned from this process is how to manage your time effectively. There were definitely times when I felt I was behind with the deadlines. In these times, I had to ensure that I was committed to the task and that I could handle my time from there on out to complete the task. If I were to give some advice, I’d tell anyone going into the Personal Project that it is important to continue working on it. The project itself can be handled easily if you work on it consistently from the beginning to the end, and not leave things to the last minute.
Want to learn more about Chatsworth? Head over to the Bukit Timah campus on 24 November for a morning of conversations and discovery at its inaugural open house. You’ll get to take a tour of the campus, meet the school leaders, teachers, students and learn more about the IB inquiry-based programmes for kids ages three to 18.
When: Saturday, 24 November 2018, 10am to 12pm
Where: Bukit Timah Campus, 72 Bukit Tinggi Road Singapore 289760
Program highlights include:
- Bouncy castle
- Campus tours led by students
- Information on the 100% IB Diploma Scholarships for Years 12 & 13
- Fun science activities
- Creative clay modelling
- Free goodie bags, while stocks last!
RSVP to attend.
There will be a free shuttle bus service between Downtown line Sixth Avenue MRT and Bukit Timah campus. The last bus departs from Sixth Avenue MRT for the campus at 11.30am.
Perks!
Enjoy a waiver of application fee and 20% off confirmation fee. Valid till 31 December 2018. Conditions apply.
This post is sponsored by Chatsworth International School