Written by: Oi In Lin, Y13 Student
I have been attending YCIS since 2007, and a lot of changes have happened to this wonderful school as I’ve made my way to becoming an IB student in her final year of high school. Out of all my years of being here, the new Learning Communities (LC) is definitely the best renovation yet.
The best thing about the LC, in my opinion, is the abundance of working space. I personally need a consistent workspace or work area to properly concentrate on my studies, and the LC offers that for me – I can choose to work in a quiet little corner by myself, or I can work on the bigger tables out in the open during a group project. I also really like the mix of open spaces and classrooms, because different environments may be more well-suited for different types of classes or teaching styles, which will bolster productivity. It’s still a new concept that I’m adapting to, but it’s nice that we don’t have to be cooped up in classrooms all day, and I do very much enjoy the convenience that results from the LC’s flexibility.
Another great thing about the Learning Communities are the Max Hubs, which are basically smartboards, but better. The big screens have high resolution, it’s easy to annotate on it or to clear the screen without the mess of a traditional whiteboard, and the best thing is that simple Bluetooth pairing and Airplay gets rid of any fuss with wires and plugs – speaking as an IB History student with lots of presentations to do, Max Hubs are a really big help.
The new furniture and the whole layout of the LC creates a more open and relaxed environment, which I really like, because even though it’s a workspace, it reminds us that it can also be a place to rest if we’re burned out from work, and that it’s okay to take a break before continuing forward.
At YCIS, there’s a heavy emphasis on ‘community’, and this shared space allows us to create a cohesive, friendly IB community by facilitating communication between the Y12s and Y13s. We are in the same boat, after all, and I’m glad that the LC provides us with a space to get to know each other and to be able to support each other if needed.
It is sad that I’ll only be able to enjoy the LC for a year, but I’m very happy to know that future YCIS IB students will be able to work hard and study well in such a beautiful learning space.