From connecting with over a billion speakers to exploring rich cultural traditions, learning Mandarin offers unparalleled rewards.

Yet despite being the second most spoken language globally, its complex characters and tonal nuances make it a significant challenge for learners, especially those from a completely different alphabetical system. Below are some strategies to overcome these hurdles, featuring insights from Dulwich College Beijing’s (DCB) DUCKS (Dulwich College Kindergarten School) Chinese Coordinator Laura Lu, Junior School Chinese Lead Amanda Cui, Head of Senior School Chinese Lu Chen and Senior School Mandarin teacher Sarah Guo.

As the adage goes, practice makes perfect. So remember to celebrating effort, small accomplishments, and milestones – and not just the results. Language learning is a journey and not a race!“Non-Mandarin speaking parents can also try to learn Mandarin and model this attitude to their children,” said Ms Guo. “There are many ways to practise together or support children, such as flashcards, games, online quizzes, or finding opportunities within our environment to help encourage continuous learning. Providing students with opportunities to use Chinese at home with their parents or guardians allows them to discuss topics they’re interested in.” Junior School-aged students also learn to read and write a large number of Chinese characters during this period, making it essential for parents to actively support their language development. According to Ms Cui, this is the ideal time to build a strong foundation in Chinese, so Mandarin language learning students should focus on strengthening their skills.

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03: Have a robust curriculum that fits the children.

Once students are placed in suitable classes, it’s crucial to have a robust but flexible curriculum that teachers can manoeuvre around to adapt to students’ interests, needs, and learning styles. In DUCKS’ Dual Language Learning Programme, for example, the Chinese curriculum not only develops children’s language capabilities but also deepens their understanding of daily life in China. DCB’s Junior School Chinese curriculum is aligned with the Chinese National Curriculum and personalised based on the students’ Chinese language proficiency. So, students not only learn about Chinese culture, but also encounter different literary genres, structure their language and communicate their ideas clearly using Chinese language conventions and thinking.Ms Chen shared an example of how content is tailored to students at DCB. Recently, some Senior School students were surprised to find an article in their textbook about universities using facial recognition to track attendance. What amazed them was not just the article’s content, but how recent news had been incorporated into their textbook. Ms Chen explained that DCB’s Chinese textbooks often include up-to-date content to reflect students’ interests and make the material more relevant and engaging.

Learning Mandarin involves mastering complex characters, a challenge for many non-native Mandarin students who have described the learning process as ‘drawing pictures’ rather than writing words, requiring students to spend more effort and time memorising every radical’s stroke. According to Ms Guo, this is why teachers need to be creative and use a variety of motivational techniques, such as creative incentives, challenges, competitions and more.

DCB’s curriculum also stands out for its community aspect. With guest speakers, cultural events, and group collaborations, the curriculum fosters a collaborative learning environment that allows students to gain knowledge not just from their textbooks, but also from interacting with each other and their surroundings.

Photo from Evan Y about a their tour to the Dunhuang Grottoes. Read all about it here.

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04: Use language as a window to culture

“Mandarin is hard,” admitted Ms Chen. With a friendly expat community in Beijing and more locals learning how to speak English, it can be tempting for English-speaking foreigners to choose comfort over challenge. But taking up Mandarin shows an individual’s determination to make the most of their life in China, because “…learning a language gives students access to culture beyond translated explanations.”At the heart of the DCB Chinese Curriculum is an unwavering resolve to infuse cultural experiences into the frame of language learning, and students undertake a cultural journey with each lesson. Chinese lessons for little learners can be broadened through various traditional Chinese culture-related activities and themes. Older students such as those in Junior School can take a deeper dive by learning Chinese historical sites and famous figures. Ms Cui explained, “Chinese class is more than learning language; it’s a conduit for students to understand Chinese history and culture.”And curious kids learn better. “Last Spring Festival, students made intricate sugar paintings and learned the art of dumpling making,” Ms Chen recalled. “This led them to ask in-depth questions about local customs, such as Spring Festival couplets, that may not exist in their own countries.”Ms Guo also shared how, for the Dragonboat Festival, teachers used a variety of ways to introduce the culture to students, such as introducing classical poems, breathtaking visuals of local sceneries, and even images of animals. Co-curricular activities, including student-led initiatives and service projects, residential trips, field trips, and service trips, help further promote cultural understanding.

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05: Apply language in real-world contexts

Learning doesn’t end at the classroom door; it extends into the streets of Beijing, its aroma-rich restaurants, rejuvenating teahouses, charming labyrinthine hutongs, and even the picturesque outskirts and beyond. “We have many classroom activities that allow students to use Chinese to address real-life problems find solutions in authentic contexts,” said Ms Cui. For older students, Ms Chen shared how immersions provide a closer look at Chinese culture and an opportunity to engage with locals while honing their language skills in authentic settings. There are no grades to be earned, only new experiences to be discovered through the students’ own self-driven exploration. 

Students on the Yunnan Service Trip

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06: Build community support

As mentioned earlier, parents’ support in language learning is vital to their children’s progress. But as the adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and a school environment with a strong community means more resources to help encourage students to learn.

Both Ms Guo and Ms Chen spoke of when parents volunteered to become guest speakers, sharing their talent in poetry, cultural arts, and more. Students benefit from our parent-guests’ professional advice, deepening their interest in the culture and simultaneously developing their language skills.

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 Language learning should go beyond rote memorisation. Empowering students with language and cultural competence to navigate an ever-changing global landscape not only helps our students with their language capabilities but also to become future-ready. It is a trip worth taking in a world where bridges are more needed than ever.

This interview was originally conducted by DCB student Jason L.

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About DCB’s Chinese programme:

Dulwich College Beijing is a leading international school in Beijing for students aged 3 to 18. DCB takes pride in its Chinese curriculum, which is designed with differentiated learning pathways to fit students from native to novices and those from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This approach fosters a deep interest in Mandarin and Chinese culture, ensuring each learner receives the support needed to excel.
DCB students have actively embraced opportunities in several external Mandarin writing competitions for international school students. Notably, in the 2023-2024 academic year alone, they achieved several impressive accomplishments, including:

• Being shortlisted for the Hong Kong Young Writers Awards (HKYWA) 2024
• Six students received Certificates of Achievement in the third Global Chinese Writing Competition for Young Writers, with two of them winning second and third place
• The poetry works of four students were published in the collections of the 7th International School Chinese Poetry Contest.

Jingwu F’s work was shortlisted for HKYWA 2024

To learn more about DCB’s Chinese programme, please contact our admissions officers at admissions.beijing@dulwich.org, or join us at our upcoming Open Day this weekend:

Images: Dulwich College Beijing

Even before I arrived in China, I had heard nothing but praise for Yunnan. This land South of the Clouds lives up to the literal translation of its Chinese name – blue skies, big clouds, all in a place filled with color and contrast, especially if you’re starting out from Kunming.

Ask anyone about where to go in Yunnan and they’ll say start from the provincial capital but don’t just stay there. They will usually tell you that it’s a starting point for all your exotic excursions to Dali, Pu’er, and Xishuangbanna and nothing more.

Smack dab in the city center, Moon & Chalice isn’t just a great place to stay, but good-looking as well

So, when it came time for me to finally visit Kunming, all I could think was, “What is there to even do there?”I took a step out the door, hopped on a plane, and found myself in the capital, riding the subway from Kunming Changshui Airport to my hotel…

A Home in the Old City

This was my first taste of an out-of-the-ordinary journey. Dubbed the Moon & Chalice Boutique Hotel, the hotel occupies two French-designed twin yellow buildings erected in 1944. It’s named as such because they both curve to form a crescent moon embracing two lanes that, when looked at from above, form a chalice.

Entering the hotel, the interior is a sight to behold. Keeping with the aesthetic of the era the buildings were born in, the whole space is art deco with a contemporary flare here and there. Gold metal and marble meeting with blue and green walls, and art of all kinds throughout.

The rooms are slim but still comfortable

Even the rooms (some thin, due to the width of the structures, but not cramped) are phenomenal. A stay in a Standard Double Room runs about RMB 468 per night and can get you a dose of that local luxury that gives you all the comforts that you would want.

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Around Green Lake

Think of Green Lake, 翠湖 Cuì Hú, as a miniature version of Beijing’s Beihai with a few elements of Shichahai (namely the shopping for kitsch aspect), with features like temples, pavilions, and bridges throughout. It’s green under the summer sun, and entering through a stylized red and blue gateway, I’m greeted by a long bridge flanked by placid waters covered by lily pads not yet in bloom.

Wenlin Jie has a great many quirky shops and storefronts

Green Lake isn’t just a nice place to walk around and gaze at the green of spring or summer, but there are plenty of activities to try as well. For small children in tow, there are singing mall trains cruising about. There’s also the option to paddleboat your way around the lake as well.

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A Little Bit of History

When looking for a spot that can be called one of the most significant historic sites in the city, the honor goes to Yunnan Military Academy. Founded in 1909, the academy’s history goes from the end of the imperial era and into the modern era.In between all the history, there are little tidbits like mock classrooms thrown in, as well as a look at students’ living quarters and, in the middle, yet another café and shop overlooking the training grounds. In keeping with wanghong trends, they’ve even got ice creams shaped like the academy entrance.

 

The city was also home for a time to the American Volunteer Group, aka the Flying TigersBesides the Yunnan Military Academy, a few other museums worth a visit include the Kunming Museum (which houses a special exhibition on the American Volunteer Group, aka the Flying Tigers), the Yunnan Provincial Museum, and the Yunnan Railway Museum. The latter institution, housed near Kunming North Station, has a collection of trains – making it a great spot to visit if you’re traveling with children.

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Where to Refuel

While one could just skip hunting for the perfect cup of Yunnan coffee and head to the nearest Starbucks (fun fact: they use only Yunnan beans in China), instead hit up local cafés and check out all the different sub-varieties of Yunnan beans there are to be had. Best bet: right outside Moon & Chalice there’s 日常咖啡 Rìcháng Kāfēi, which has three different Yunnan beans to choose from to try or take home (I got one for RMB 98 for 100g).

My first taste of proper Yunnan cuisine took place just off Wenlin Jie, at a small eatery called Heavenly Manna. The stuff to go for at this cheap and popular lunch and dinner spot include the Yunnan-Style Mashed Potatoes (RMB 22), Lotus Root in Dai-Style Sauce (RMB 25), Stir-Fried Goat Cheese With Tomato (RMB 45), and the vaguely named Spicy Tasty Pork (RMB 38), which is true to its name and pretty tasty.

Heavenly Manna is a great lunch and dinner spot

Last but not least, no trip to Kunming is complete without getting yourself an 饵块 ěrkuài. Not exactly two yuan (it translates to earpiece), erkuai is sticky rice dough that’s pounded until soft and molded into different shapes. The most common form sees the dough rolled around a youtiao with sweet and savory fillings (烧饵块加油条 shāo ěrkuài jiā yóutiáo). Get it, it’s good! But don’t try using it to get on public transit.

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The Western Hills & Dianchi Lake

Much like Beijing, Kunming has a Western Hills (RMB 30/entry), but unlike their dryer and more massive counterpart in the north, the hills in Kunming find themselves next to a lake, the sixth largest in China to be exact.A commanding view of Dianchi Lake (滇池 diānchí) can be had when summiting the mountain via chair lift (RMB 25/person). Aside from the breathtaking view, on the walk down there’s another difference setting it apart from the north: this spot is part climb part Daoist holy site. Small outcroppings dot the path downward, each with a shrine hiding deities within. One of the highlights of the trek is Datian Pavilion, where the 龙门 Lóngmén (Dragon Gate), for which this series of outcroppings and shrines is named, can be found.

For a closer look at Dianchi after a climb down, it’s a bit of a drive, but worth it. Visiting there on an afternoon rewards one with the slowly setting sun dancing across the waters. The crescent-shaped lake is massive, 39km in length and 13km in width at its widest point.

Naigu Stone Forest

Not to be confused with the larger and more popular Stone Forest Scenic Area, the Naigu Stone Forest Scenic Area (乃古石林风景区 nǎigǔ shílín fēngjǐngqū) is a great place to witness Yunnan’s karst topography while avoiding crowds of tourists. When our group of eight visited, we were the only souls in the entire scenic area beside a film crew we ran into well into our tour.

Unlike Major Stone Forest, Naigu’s rock formations are predominantly black in color. The formations can either be viewed from a series of paths amongst stones or from a path snaking through the center of the formations. The latter is a bit more fun to traverse, as you can duck and dodge under and around protruding pieces of stone.

Like many before me, my journey to Kunming has made me fall in love with the local culture, scenery, food, and art. It’s something that should be on every person’s China travel bucket list — but there’s yet more to see just outside the capital that’s worth sharing. Stay tuned!

Images: Vincent R Vinci

TCB Beer Garden is a rare idyllic spot within the bustling CBD area. Located on the ground floor of the Grand Millennium hotel, the calm garden area features strings of fairy lights adorning leafy parasol trees and romantic “nomadic” tents offering a secluded space for a family dinner.

Known as The Corner Bistro during the day, the restaurant’s menu changes for dinnertime, becoming Beer Garden.

During the day, salads and sandwiches are served from the deli along with Turkish delicacies. The evening menu features a unique blend of global cuisines ranging from German, Chinese, Italian, and even Mexican. The large menu ensures that there is something for everyone!

If trying to escape the summer heat, there is a spacious indoor dining area. Reflecting the design style of the Grand Millennium itself, the restaurant is sleek and modern. Each table is decorated with a light-up globe, sure to appeal to young children. Speaking of children, highchairs are accessible and there are plenty of kid-friendly drinks, including freshly squeezed orange and watermelon juices.

Popular appetizers include Baby Cucumber (with garlic, chili, sesame, and pepper oil) (RMB 28) and Thai Style Shrimp Cracker (RMB 18). For a tasty veggie option, look to the Roasted Enoki Mushrooms (RMB 15), which are slightly spicy and seasoned with cumin.

Beer Garden also serves a variety of skewers with the Roasted Lamb (RMB 12) and Roasted Beef (RMB 12) being the most popular. Fans of spicy food will be pleased to find that all skewers are seasoned with cumin and chili powder. From June 19 to July 31, they will serve crayfish (called “little lobster” in Chinese), which comes in two popular local flavors – “hot and numb”, and “thirteen spices”.

The main courses include a plate of an assortment of tasty German sausages served with mashed potatoes, pickles, sauerkraut, and steamed tomatoes (RMB 168). Also available are a hamburger (RMB 108), as well as a grilled rib-eye steak (RMB 298) and a German-style fried crispy pork shoulder—which are on the pricier side (RMB 288).

If looking for some fun activities after or in between dinner, there are darts, a pool table, and a foosball table.

Beer Garden offers the genuine and distinctive East meets West culinary experience. The restaurant offers dishes that appeal to both local and foreign tastes.

Find it:
The Corner Bistro/Beer Garden:
No. 7 E. 3rd Ring Rd Middle, Chaoyang District

朝阳区东三环中路7号

Tel: 010-85876888-3012

Beer Garden open from 4-11pm

Images: Capri W

Most people would agree that one of the best things about Beijing’s international community is the wide range of cultures and languages you come into contact with. Being part of this community positively impacts our children’s development, helping them to grow into internationally-minded global citizens. However, since international schools in Beijing teach primarily in English, adapting to this new language environment can be a challenge for students from the international community who didn’t grow up in a primarily English-speaking household. 

In the distance past, some international schools teaching in English avoided or reduced the use of students’ home languages. However, research has increasingly shown that drawing on students’ home languages and cultural background can help to validate and enforce their personal identities, while also providing a strong foundation for learning other languages. 

CISB’s BML program includes one-on-one and small group instruction and co-teaching

This concept is at the core of the Bilingual and Multilingual Learners (BML) program at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB). “CISB has had a language support program since the school opened in 2006, but in 2019, our elementary school decided to change the name from English as an additional language to BML. We wanted to change the way we view BML/EAL students from a deficit to a strengths perspective, one that emphasizes competencies and potential, and focuses on resilience and empowerment,” Rose Muralla, BML department head, says. “We also wanted to create an environment that celebrates diversity in language and multilingualism.”

The goal of the BML program is to reach each child’s full language potential by making authentic links to their Homeroom class’s curriculum and providing a differentiated approach for each student. Data from in-class and formal assessments (including WIDA and MAP assessments) are used to determine a student’s needs, and the BML teacher designs targeted instruction in speaking, listening, reading, and writing using leveled texts and materials.

“I had a hard time writing sentences before joining the BML intervention program. Doing the different activities we do every day, now I feel more confident in writing sentences and trying to spell words on my own.” — Martina, grade 2

For example, for new students at CISB, the focus will be on building functional language to ease their transition. This might include building a bank of classroom vocabulary, such as classroom objects, and teaching phrases and sentence stems that will allow them to communicate with teachers and classmates. Sentence stems, in particular, can be useful for bilingual and multilingual learners, since they give children the tools to focus on what they are trying to say rather than how to say it. Grade 5 Chinese student Harry told jingkids that “in BML we can learn many things to use in my homeroom class. We use many materials. For example, we have tiny phones to hear yourself reading in a quiet voice. We also have A to Z blocks to make words.”

Regular BML support might include BML teachers supporting students in small groups or one on one, and co-planning and co-teaching with Homeroom teachers. “Having more than one teacher in the room creates multiple perspectives or ways of teaching a concept and gives another set of eyes for assessment or feedback about students that can contribute to meeting a student’s needs and recognizing gaps,” Rose explains. 

Students taking part in CISB’s reading intervention program

This year, the BML Department has also started a reading intervention program where students get extra support from CISB’s interventionists to develop reading, vocabulary, phonics and comprehension skills aside from the support they are regularly getting from the grade level BML teachers. At the end of the six weeks, the BML teacher, the homeroom teacher, and the intervention teacher determine if children need to continue in the intervention program. “BML intervention helped me learn reading strategies like sounding out the words (phonemes and graphemes) so I can read and write words and also to make a picture of what the words mean in my head,” grade 2 student Oskar says. 

“I struggled with phonics but now my phonics is good. I like my BML reading because I can find a lot of funny things in the stories.” — Cedrick, grade 5

Beyond simple English language proficiency, CISB’s BML program is about recognizing that although a student might come to CISB needing support in expressing themselves in English, they might already have the background knowledge to understand the concept they are learning in class in their mother tongue. As Rose concludes, “BML at CISB is different because we are not just supporting our BMLs with their English language skills but also empowering them to embrace and celebrate their mother tongue and culture.”  

Images courtesy of CISB

Thank you to the whole of the BML department for their invaluable contributions to this article

On the extensive checklist of things that need to be taken care of when moving to a new country or city, apart from finding a place to live, few things are more important for families with kids than finding the right school. A good school will not only give your children the tools they need to get the best out of their education, but will also function as a community for you and your family.

That’s all very well, but how should you go about choosing? While it may be easy to get sucked in by big brand names, attractive campuses, and fancy curricula that promise outstanding exam results, in the long run, the most important thing is to find a school with a learning philosophy that suits your child and a clear set of values that match your family’s. For Anthony Coles, Head of College at Dulwich College Beijing, the school’s seven values — resilience, confidence, respect, integrity, responsibility, open-mindedness, kindness — help to build a community and guide staff in nurturing students who not only succeed academically but who are “great people and great lifelong learners.”

Exploring the admissions process

No matter what age your children are, the admissions process at Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) is designed to help prospective students explore those values while also putting them through their paces academically. As Director of Admissions and Marketing, See Kay Leong, explains, students undergo age-tailored entrance assessments and interviews with teachers and admissions staff to make sure that they are equipped for DCB’s academically-rigorous curriculum and also to explore any extra-curricular interests. This selectiveness is certainly not unique to DCB and is ultimately about making sure that both children and their parents are a good fit for the school community. As Leong notes, “it’s a two-way street; we want to make sure that our families are contributing to the school.”

As a result, the on-boarding process starts as soon as enrollment is confirmed, leveraging a variety of tools to help families get to know the school. Children are assigned a buddy that they meet both virtually and in person, and parents automatically become members of the school’s active parents association, Friends of Dulwich. If you are concerned about how you’ll know if your child is settling in ok (since, as we know, they don’t always tell their parents), look for a school like DCB that sets up “checkpoints” with a pastoral team consisting of the form tutor, head of year and key stage leader throughout the term for new students to make sure that no-one who is struggling slips through the cracks.

Now you’re speaking my language

One of the key considerations for students attending international schools in a foreign country should be if and how the school teaches the host country language. Beyond the obvious benefit of adding another language to your roster,  foreign language learning “helps develop overall communication skills and build confidence,” Coles says. DCB takes a dual language approach in Mandarin and English in Early Years (ages 3 to 7), exposing younger children to both languages in a natural learning context throughout the day. This gives children the confidence to actually use and understand language in a way that helps them get the most out of their lives in Beijing, in line with DCB’s mission to “Live Worldwise”.

Choosing the right curriculum can have an important effect on a child’s schooling, both in terms of their enjoyment and their success. Unlike where many of us will have gone to school in our home countries, where we probably studied a set national curriculum, international schools in Beijing are free to choose their own curriculum. We published a breakdown of the various curriculum on offer in Beijing in this year’s School Choice Guide. Children up to age 5 at DCB follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, and from Year 1 to Year 9, they follow the National Curriculum of England and Wales, enhanced to meet the needs of the school’s diverse student body. The English National Curriculum is not only highly structured and academically rigorous, but since it is also taught widely by schools around the world, it enables children to pick up where they left off in the event you have to move schools (or countries!). In Year 10 DCB students begin the IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), a rigorous two-year course that prepares students well for the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) starting in Year 12.

Beyond the classroom

Sports and arts programs often end up being the most memorable part of the school experience — who can remember their 8th grade math classes but who could forget the first time they lifted a trophy with their sports team? The benefits of these kind of non-academic activities are myriad, from building team work skills to improving time management. “In essence, [extra-curricula activities are] about balance, helping students build interests and confidence beyond academic settings,” explains Coles. If your child has already demonstrated an aptitude for a specific sport or instrument, then finding a school that has a good track record in that field might end up being your number one consideration.

As two of DCB’s four pillars of education (the others being academic excellence and service to others), sports and creative arts are well-served by state-of-the-art theaters, football and cricket pitches, and even a green screen film studio for budding Spielbergs — to name but a few. Coles also notes that being part of an international network of six colleges in Asia gives DCB students a platform to showcase their talents to a wider audience through network-wide events like the Dulwich Olympiad and the MADD (Music, Art, Drama and Dance) Festival for Junior School students, which still took place online this year despite the influence of the pandemic.

House System

One of the most important things for new students to settle in a school is the care and support they receive from their teachers and classmates. The system of pastoral care is highly developed at Dulwich College Beijing. Teachers and form tutors here are responsible not only for every student’s academic development, but also for ensuring they receive the pastoral support they need. DCB has a pastoral support team for students at all levels, and all of them follow a Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) course appropriate to their age and coordinated across the year groups.

Feeling intrigued by the Hogwarts Houses? DCB students have their own House system, an integral part of the College pastoral care structure! On arriving at DCB, all students are allocated to one of five Houses, where they remain during their time at DCB. DCB’s Houses are named after inspirational and accomplished people: Edward Alleyn, Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, Jesse Owens, Soong Ching-ling and Amy Johnson.

The House System builds a sense of community within the student body and helps to develop students’ leadership skills. House Captains and students are responsible for helping to organise House activities, which normally take the form of friendly competitions.

Coles emphasizes that “young people need to feel safe and protected to learn effectively. Children with a sense of belonging feel accepted, loved, and connected to others as a part of a community. Our responsibility to base our daily interactions on solid known values and to build a positive learning culture is critical for our students to develop a deep sense of belonging at school that reflects how accepted, respected, and supported they feel in their social context at school.”

At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to choosing a school. It is often a trial and error experience, particularly for younger children who may not yet have developed a distinct learning style or shown an interest in sports or the arts. However, look beyond the headline stats and choose a school that aligns with the values you want to instill in your child, and you may just find yourself part of a community that grows and learns along with you.

Images courtesy of Dulwich College Beijing

Graduates of The British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi have an excellent track record of being accepted in outstanding universities around the world. Let’s hear from BSB alumni Jenny who is in her last year of studies at the University of Cambridge, on how BSB has helped her achieved academic success and gained admissions to her best fit university!

University of Cambridge

I am currently in my final year of reading Economics at the University of Cambridge and will be graduating in 2021. I am applying for a postgraduate programme to study Finance and Economics. Once I finish my studies, I plan to start my career as an Investment Banker. I currently hold an internship at UBS, so hopefully, I will get converted to full-time!

Please see 2 photos of me participating in Cambridge’s College Boat Club!

Internship Experience

I have completed internship with a couple of firms, both in investment banking and in consultancy. For my latest internship experience, I worked for JP Morgan as their Investment Banking Summer Analyst. I was supposed to be working in Hong Kong but due to the pandemic, my internship programme turned virtual. My work involved building liquidity model for petrochemical firms in Korea and creating a dataset for Asian life insurance companies. The tasks given were definitely challenging; I have never come across some of the models that I had to construct. But overall, I was really grateful for the learning opportunity I was provided with.

My Years at BSB Shunyi

Jenny studied at BSB for 5 years and graduated in 2017 with an amazing IB point score of 43 (out of a maximum of 45).

When I first joined BSB, I was initially very shy but with BSB’s friendly and supportive community, I was able to fit in fairly quickly, gradually changing my personality. Eventually through the years at BSB, I was able to become who I am today.

Looking back, I would say I was greatly honoured to be a part of the BSB community. To me, BSB really was the “Best School in Beijing”. I think that the most special thing about our school is the tightly-knit community. This is true because everyone pretty much knows each other, to the extent where the school Principal knows each and every individual! With such atmosphere, I felt that I was cared for and loved.

What is special about BSB?

I would say it is the supportive environment. BSB definitely allows and supports students to carry out their own projects and build up their own studies. For me I have always wanted to host a Model United Nations (MUN) conference in our school and with the warm support of the school staff and management team, I was able to organize the first BRITMUN conference in 2017.

Jenny at MUN

I was also the Vice-Chair of the BSB Charity Committee, an active member of the World Scholar’s Cup BSB Team, the President of the Human Rights Council at BEIMUN XXIII and the President of the Environment Commission at BEIMUN XXIV.

Jenny at World Scholar’s Cup

Best memories at BSB

Perhaps one of the best memory was the residential trips we went. From local cities in China to foreign countries like Tanzania and Vietnam, I was able to learn things I could not in textbooks. The most unforgettable experience was definitely the one in Tanzania where I actually built school buildings and goat sheds for under-privileged families and got to teach the local children. I think it was the first experience where I really felt like I could do something to change the lives of others.

Jenny in Tanzania

Advice for fellow students

Don’t be too stressed about your academics. Even if you fail at this stage, it is not the end of your life. You will learn that there are way more important things than high school grades once you enter university. For future Oxbridge applicants, read around your subject! It is crucial for you to do a wider reading to fill in the gap of IB. Finally, if any of you have any questions on Cambridge, feel free to reach out! I would be happy to help out.

The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi is a large International School offering Primary through Secondary education to 1,000+ students from over 60 nationalities. Driven by a philosophy of ambition, we inspire every child to achieve more than they ever imagined possible.

BSB students follow an enhanced English National Curriculum completing IGCSE exams at aged 16 followed by the IB Diploma at aged 18. We also offer a German Curriculum for native German speakers in Klasse 1-4. As part of a family of 70+ Nord Anglia schools globally, our curricula are enhanced by collaborations with preeminent organisations such as The Juilliard School, MIT and UNICEF.  Year-on-year our world class teachers ensure that students experience accelerated learning and achieve excellent academic results to enable their entry into the world’s leading universities.

Contact us for a visit at admissions@bsbshunyi.com.

AISB-Hope International School has offered students the opportunity to challenge themselves by taking Advanced Placement® classes for a number of years. Our regularly offered courses include: AP® Microeconomics, AP® Macroeconomics, AP® Statistics, AP® Studio Art: Drawing, AP® World History: Modern, and AP® Chinese.

We are pleased to announce that as of this school year, we are offering the AP Capstone Program. This program was designed to equip students with higher level critical thinking and research skills as well as to give them the opportunity to do challenging group and individual research. The core classes of the program are: AP® Seminar, which develops students’ thinking, research, and collaborative skills; and AP® Research, which requires students to undertake an extensive individual research project. Unlike other AP® Courses, the topics of AP® Seminar and AP® Research are set by the instructor and can focus on one subject area or several.

This year’s AP® Seminar instructor is Headmaster Randal Eplin. He sees the course as relevant for students’ immediate engagement with the world around them. For example, in order to make deconstructing and assessing arguments relevant, Mr. Eplin required the students to study different media outlets’ coverage of current world news. Students used an argument analysis template to determine the strengths and weaknesses of different media reports and were sometimes surprised by the results. This exercise drove home the importance of critical thinking both inside and outside of the classroom.

Mr. Eplin also sees the value of the course for the students’ growth as life-long learners, commenting: “As a former IB Diploma Coordinator, I find the course to be filled with the high level of critical thinking and evaluative skills needed to be successful not only in a university setting but to be successful in our complicated world today.” In addition to building the students’ analytical skills, Mr. Eplin has delved into the interpersonal and emotional skills required to execute effective group work, such as listening skills and conflict resolution, which he believes will benefit them not only in their academic journeys, but also once they enter the workforce.

AISB-Hope International is a small, nurturing, family-oriented school that focuses on character development and high academic achievement. If you think that your daughter or son could thrive in an environment like ours and would like to book a tour of our school, please reach out to us by scanning the QR code. Our marketing and admissions departments are ready to show you what makes AISB-Hope International the special school that might just be the best fit for your child’s education.

“Advanced Placement®, AP®, and AP Capstone are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.”

This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 January issue