Canadian International School of Beijing – Beijing Kids

A Student’s Journey at Canadian International School of Beijing

Admin — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 03:30:00 +0000

Stepping into a new school can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. I have studied at Pakistan Embassy College Beijing (PECB) for 11 years of my life since kindergarten. It was a huge adjustment to join a new school halfway through my high school career. However, Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) has been nothing if not welcoming and has exceeded all my expectations. The entire community has made my transition incredibly smooth and hassle-free. With its lively environment and dedicated teachers/staff, CISB has now become my second home. The friendships I’ve formed and the opportunities I’ve been given, have truly developed my educational journey and shaped me into a more confident and well-rounded person.

CISB has challenged me academically and helped me exceed my previous limits.

The firm dedication to nurturing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities has facilitated my growth as a learner. The teachers have gone above and beyond in their efforts to promote engaging and interactive learning experiences, especially during the challenging times of the COVID era. They consistently went the extra mile to encourage us to think critically and explore our passions, ensuring that our education remains lively and enriching. The guidance and expertise of our teachers have not only improved my academic journey but have also inspired me to push beyond my comfort zone. Transitioning from studying the IGCSE curriculum to the IB curriculum was a significant change for me. In my first year of the IB program, I was introduced to the Personal Project. Despite my initial fears, I was able to achieve great success in my Personal Project with the invaluable guidance and support of my supervisor.

Beyond the classroom, CISB provides us with a wide range of extracurricular activities, also known as ASAs (after-school activities), which have played a crucial role in allowing me to pursue my interests and uncover hidden talents.

Last year and continuing into this year, I eagerly participated in Stagecats and TEDx, where I had the opportunity to express my creativity and engage with like-minded individuals. I also got to participate in the Girls in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) program, which intensified my drive to explore the fields of science and technology. These extracurricular experiences have expanded my perspectives and equipped me with valuable skills and unforgettable memories. Engaging in these activities has not only provided me with communities of like-minded students who share similar opinions and interests but has also allowed me to develop essential skills such as teamwork, leadership, and time management. These opportunities have enabled me to learn from and collaborate with diverse individuals. CISB’s emphasis on creativity, innovation, and collaboration has prepared me to thrive in this developing world.

Making new friends has been an incredibly positive experience. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with open arms by fellow students who have shown nothing but kindness and warmth towards me. The welcoming environment at school has made it easy for me to connect with others and establish meaningful friendships. Whether it’s during class discussions, extracurricular activities, or simply hanging out during breaks, my classmates have been supportive, considerate, and always ready to lend a helping hand. Their genuine friendliness has made me feel accepted and valued, and I am grateful for the sense of belonging they have created within our school community. Forming new friendships has not only allowed me to build individual connections but has also opened doors to diverse communities of like-minded individuals. For instance, being part of the Girls in STEMM program has connected me with inspiring young women who share the same passion. Collaborating on projects and engaging in discussions with them has been both empowering and enlightening.

Amidst the incredible experiences I have had at CISB, I must admit that I still hold a special place in my heart for my friends and teachers/staff from my previous school, PECB. Having spent 11 memorable years there, the bonds I formed were deeply rooted in my heart. Whenever I have the opportunity to reunite with my PECB friends and teachers, it warms my heart to see their genuine kindness and the steady support they continue to offer. In particular, my principal has been a source of positive energy and happiness, always expressing genuine cheerfulness in our reunions. Although my new school has become a cherished part of my journey, I will forever treasure the memories and connections I made during my time at PECB.

Images: Zonaira Ali

How to Make Learning Fun Right From the Start

Admin — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 05:00:43 +0000

Looking for a school for your child is a completely different experience when they’re toddlers and it’s their very first school, ever? While quality education is first and foremost on the checklist of must-haves for a great school, there are also other concerns that you’ll have as a parent when it comes to your child’s very first school.

How safe is the school, really?

What qualities make a great teacher?

Sure, you can have that ONE perfect teacher that’s on all the promotional material, but what about the rest of the team?Let’s face it, it’s a teacher’s experience and love for your child will mean much more to your child’s daily development than the written manta of a school. After all, they’re the person whom your child will be spending the most time around.

What sort of families will you be surrounding your child with?
Do they share similar parenting philosophies as you?

When you’re looking for an Early Years programme, you’re the gatekeeper to your child’s development. Be sure you ask all the right questions and see the school for yourself.

Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) is renowned for its International Baccalaureate (IB) programme for its students. To prepare their younger students for the intensive years of education to come, CISB’s Montessori Programme for the Nursery kids encourages little ones to embrace their curiosity, believe in themselves and their own abilities, and to think creatively. All of which are essential skills that put kids on a positive path to success.

In the Pre-Kindergarten, little ones aged 3 to 4 delve into the immersive world of IB through their exclusive Primary Years Programme (PYP). CISB stands out as an IB continuum school, ensuring that students receive a consistent teaching methodology throughout their entire education. The PYP focuses on inquiring through play, promoting learners’ agency and providing opportunities to inquire into essential concepts and personal interests.

*IB, PYP, ABCDEFG (just kidding…) do these terms confuse you? You’re not alone! Believe us when we say that after attending an open day in person all will be clear to you. It’s much easier than looking up each term online and trying to memorize terms. Let’s make learning fun for the parents too!

From Nursery onwards, CISB creates an environment where kids develop a love for learning.

Over the years we’ve seen CISB graduates go off to lead Fortune 500 companies, become internationally known artists, and create business of their own big and small. The creativity, determination, and drive all starts from a positive environment where testing limits and creativity is encouraged and students feel safe.

To learn more about CISB’s Early Years Programme, sign up for their on campus open day on Jun 7 from 3.45 to 5pm.

Open to all prospective Pre-School families for the 2023-2024 academic year. Let to know the CISB Nursery, Pre-K 3, and Pre-K 4 programmes designed for kids ages 1.5 to 4.5 years old.

What to expect at the Open Day4pm- Classroom

Let your kids have a say in their school choice decision. Stand back and let them discover their future classroom for themselves and interact with their teachers. They’ll be taking part in fun activities that are specifically designed for their age group that meets the developmental needs of young learners.

4.50pm- Baby Gym and Outdoor Play AreaSchools should be fun! Let the kids burn off some of their energy and work on their motor skills at the same time. Enjoy the outdoor facilities as they socialize and build friendships at CISB’s safe and exciting outdoor play areas.

We highly recommend families to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about CISB’s Early Years programme and to experience the nurturing community environment that CISB has cultivated over the years.Attendance is free but spaces are limited and pre-registration is required.

To register your family’s spot, scan the QR code below.

Images: Canadian International School of Beijing

Is It Better for Siblings to Attend the Same School?

Admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 06:31:39 +0000

When a family chooses to send four of their five kids to the same school, you know that school just has to be special. In a video interview, Christiane Adovelande, spouse of the Ambassador of Benin to China, said, “I was really convinced by the quality of the teachers, the beauty of the campus, and our family felt really welcome.”

The school she is talking about? The Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB).

After moving to Beijing six years with their four younger kids, the Adovelandes have now sent their third eldest child and fresh CISB graduate, Rachel Charissa Oluwakemi, off to university in New York City, where she will study interior design.

Rachel’s elder sister, Ruth Ariel Dona graduated CISB in 2021. Her two younger siblings Ramia Yael Oluwasheyi in Grade 10, and Rayna Mahoussi Yudit, in Grade 9 are currently still enrolled at CISB.

If you’re wondering what it’s like for four siblings to share a school, we wondered that too.

We sat down for a friendly chat with the Adovelande sisters to talk about their scholastic experience at CISB and spending their teenhood in Beijing.

The first serious question we posed to the girls was “What is it like to go to a school after your siblings have blazed a trail there?” Ramia was first to answer, saying,

“It’s helpful because they can give us advice on the classes they went through and how to handle it.”

She credited Rachel with sharing her experience of the Grade 10 Personal Project, which Ramia is currently completing. “It’s definitely a good thing,” she concluded. “But it has its downsides too,” interjected Rayna, whose youthful energy radiates through the room, “because everyone in the school already knows you as so-and-so’s sister, but you are your own person.” She continued, “Teachers sometimes compare you to your perfect sister (Rachel) or your super smart sister (Ruth) as well, so it can be annoying.” But she went on to reveal their sibling secret that helped to support them through the transition to a new school: “We made a deal to only sit with each other at lunch after we had found at least one friend ourselves. This gave us someone to rely on and also got us to find our own friends by the end of the first day!”

Ultimately, sharing a school between them only strengthened their bond.

To our next question – “What do you like best about CISB?” – all three siblings unequivocally talked about the incomparable spirit of community that CISB fosters. “Everyone is really nice and gets along with each other, even across the grades,” began Rachel. Rayna continued, “There’s such a sense of friendship that a Grade 7 student can be best friends with a Grade 10 student” Ramia added, “Everyone shares a mutual respect for each other and their culture.”

Speaking of culture, the family has greatly appreciated the diversity that Beijing has offered them in their time here. While Mom enjoys visiting art museums, the younger girls prefer to hang out at trendy shopping hubs like Sanlitun and Solana. Some of their favorite restaurants, including Hai Di Lao, SoThai, and The Cheesecake Factory, represent the myriad ethnic offerings in the capital city. “There’s always something new to do, some place to explore,” said Rachel. Here’s to more adventures for the young Adovelandes, ready to take on Beijing and the world beyond.

Images: Uni You

How This Student Turned Challenges Into Success

Admin — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 05:00:24 +0000

Have you ever heard an adult say something along the lines of “You don’t even know how lucky you’ve got it. Wait ‘till you’re in the real world” after hearing a teen talk about their busy school life? It’s an offhand comment that belittles everything a teenager has worked so hard to accomplish – as if pursuing academic excellence while juggling extra curricular activities, hobbies, and personal life is somehow easy just because they’re not getting a monthly paycheck.

It’s quite simple. Being a student today is no easy feat. But, there are always those students who seem to have it all figured out at an early age. They’re the ones younger students look up to and adults aspire for their kids to become. Linda (Xinyi) Li, a senior at the Canadian International School Student (CISB) seems to be just that type of student. Is it nature or nurture?

Linda’s has led a globetrotting life. Born in Spain and moved to China around the age of six, she joined CISB in 6th grade. Along with balancing her personal life, she’s in the midst of applying for university and just received a predicted IB score of 43.

It’s no secret that when applying for university, admissions officers want to see that a student is well rounded – meaning that they’ve got stellar academic grades and also devotes their time to exploring other hobbies and interests. But should a student pursue extra curricular activities just to buff up their college resume?

“During my journey at CISB, I always wanted to try out new things and explore my interests. In the past few years, I’ve been a part of our school’s sports teams including volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Although a lot of parents may suggest their child quit some extracurricular activities during academic stressful times, I would still recommend people find an interest and join no matter what. Finding a passion in school helps a student to become balanced and happy. For example, volleyball has helped tremendously during my DP journey, during stressful times in the year, it allows me to relax and focus on people around me. Hence, I would be able to focus on my studies with more energy. One thing I would say about time management is to cut out as much screen time as possible during your DP years. It saved me a lot of time as I began to realize the amount of energy I spent on my phone.”

School is a time for students to challenge themselves and test their boundaries and aside from providing quality education and resources, it’s a school’s job to be provide an environment where students feel safe to be themselves and to grow and develop physically and mentally.

For Linda, the greatest challenge in her education career so far is also something that adds so much character to her life. Being born in Spain and raised in China has given her unique insights into different cultures and the opportunity to immerse herself in languages.

“I was born in Spain and moved to China when I was around six years old. Growing up I’ve always faced the challenge of language barriers in the way of my academics. When I first moved back to China I had to learn how to speak Chinese. After I joined CISB I had to learn how to speak English properly.

Learning languages can be challenging sometimes, however, the school provided me with a good language environment. Although when I was little, I really hated when the teachers told me to speak in English more, it ultimately helped me to improve my English in a great way. Finding interest in the language that you are learning is also really important, and the key point is to always keep a positive mindset when learning anything in life.”, Linda shares.

In the final years of high school, the IB DP program dominates most academic conversations and it’s no different for Linda. The IB DP journey requires serious commitment from day one. It’s one of the toughest academic challenges a student will face and it’s only made easier with the right support system from family and school.

“The IB DP program can be really challenging for students that are just moving up from MYP. It’s fast-paced, it’s chaotic, it’s confusing and it’s really normal for someone to be struggling at first. Some of the challenges that I face is the overwhelming stress that hits me constantly during my DP journey. Because DP is only a two-year program, it requires students to make a lot of adjustments in the process rapidly. I was really stressed out at first and worried about my performance constantly.

The best way I discovered for me to get used to the process was by going to the teachers and talking through the challenges I was facing, especially during stressful times. In addition, it’s also really important that you talk with your parents and friends to relieve the stress that builds up during the academic year.”

Now, as a high-achieving senior almost at the end of her high school career, it’s important that we ask Linda to reflect on her journey at CISB. For a student who strives for academic excellence, it’s inevitable for us to wonder what she considers her greatest achievement thus far.

“It’s always been a growing journey for me at CISB because it provided me with numerous opportunities along the way. Teachers in the school are really supportive of our academic journeys and that is the reason that led to my success in school. Currently, I’ve received the scholarship for three continuous years. During grade eleven, I received academic excellence awards in Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology. Additionally, I was awarded female athlete of the year last year and received MVP in both volleyball and soccer. I’d say the most memorable memories I have from the school relate to the sports team, so I’m really hoping that more people could join in the future to bring their talents to the team.”

To find out more about the school that helped shape Linda into the incredibly accomplished young woman that she is today, contact CISB at +86 10 6465 7799 and be sure to follow the CISB Official WeChat @ CISBeijing.

To visit their beautiful campus in person, you can register for their upcoming Open House on October 26th, 2022 at 5pm by scanning the QR code below.

Images: CISB

What’s Been Happening at Beijing’s International Schools?

Michelle Zhang — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 07:00:27 +0000

Students at AISB-Hope International Enjoy Spring Showcase

On Apr 9, AISB-Hope International celebrated student learning at the Spring Showcase. The day began with musical performances followed by Market Day organized by the upper elementary classes. Elementary writing and art were exhibited. Lower elementary and secondary students hosted learning booths throughout the building, including testing physics with an egg drop challenge and exploring chemistry with an ice cream creation station. It was a fun day for all the students and teachers!

Science Week at 3e International School

3e’s “Early Years Science Week” captivated and inspired their young students as they explored the marvels of science through a multitude of hands-on interactive learning opportunities. The campus foyer was transformed into a science museum, where students could interact with four amazing pieces of equipment originally from the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco.

Daddy-Child Day at House of Knowledge International Kindergarten

On Mar 26, House of Knowledge held a very exciting Daddy-Child Day at our Chaoyang Park Campus. The school invited all students’ dads to join the “Pinewood Train Derby” activity with their children. Everyone enjoyed themselves a lot in this Reggio Emilia-inspired activity by making their own trains, photo frames and racing on the track.

BSB Shunyi Celebrates Earth Week

The British School of Beijing, Shunyi’s Eco-Committee challenged their students during Earth Week to learn about the ways each person can protect the earth and make a difference! Activities included wearing green to raise money for Team Trees, eco crafts, flower planting, no electricity hour, meat-free lunch, reducing food waste and all things eco!

Chinese Culture and Music Concert at CISB

This past month at Canadian International School of Beijing, students from all backgrounds came together to showcase their love of the Chinese language and culture. Music-based acts included dances, piano pieces, violin performances and songs. Other acts included poetry reading and even the famous unique Chinese performance art “crosstalk.” The students worked very hard in preparing for their performances!

Spring in the Courtyard

In April, YueCheng Courtyard Kindergarten shined with splendor and beauty as the spring light passed through branches and leaves, and the fragrant scent of begonia flowers swayed in the spring breeze. Spring in the Courtyard slowly unveiled its secret face in such an ethereal environment. The school held three themed areas: “Spring of Nature,” “Spring of Culture,” and “Spring of Art” for children, parents, and members of the YueCheng community, to present a “Spring Family Banquet.”

NAS Beijing, Shunyi Is Officially Open

NAS Beijing, Shunyi officially opened its brand-new campus for the first time with the school building completion celebration on Mar 12. The school held an explorer-themed campus discovery day, which was the most comprehensive event to mark the opening of the campus.

During the event, NAS Beijing, Shunyi held parent information sessions, themed education salons, student demo classes, extracurricular activity experiences, and campus tours. These activities enabled participants to take a closer look at the school and to understand the school’s educational characteristics.

Harrow Beijing Students Performed Annie

The Harrow Beijing Upper School production of Annie was successfully performed in April. The students and performing arts staff have worked relentlessly to produce the musical. The talent showcased within the production was outstanding. It was a wonderfully collaborative event which brought the whole school community together.

Western Academy of Beijing Alumnus Wins Stanford University Engineering Award

Danny Du joined WAB in Grade 5, graduated in 2018, and went on to study engineering at Stanford University, majoring in computer science. He was recently named a winner of the prestigious Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic Award. Du joined WAB high school principal Melanie Vrba for a podcast to discuss his academic accomplishments, plans for the future, and the system that supported him throughout his journey at WAB.

Congratulations to the Beijing International Bilingual School Class of 2022!

With 24 years of experience, BIBS believes in the power of growing! During the admissions season of 2022, BIBS graduates received offers from the world’s top universities, including Brown University and Williams College, as well as UCB, UCLA, UCSD, NYU, and UCL. Congratulations to all the seniors!

Former Executive Vice-President and CEO of IFC Delivered Speech at Daystar

In March, the co-founder of Daystar Academy, Mr. Cai Jinyong, returned to the school to deliver a speech to the high school students. This speech was the first of Daystar’s “Inno-Impact Distinguished Speaker” series. Outstanding individuals are invited to speak on campus to serve as positive examples and encourage students to take action and make a difference.

Dulwich College Beijing’s Drama Production of Romeo and Juliet

Dulwich College Beijing Senior School proudly performed its contemporary rendering of Shakespeare’s famous Romeo and Juliet! The double-cast main characters treated the on- and off-campus audience to two days of vibrant and engaging performances in a beautiful and entirely student-designed set, leading the DCB community through a poignant journey of forbidden love, violent bloodshed, and a few comedic moments!

This article appeared in the jingkids 2022 Graduation issue

Meet the Unsung Heroes of Beijing’s International Schools

Michelle Zhang — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:00:05 +0000

Every school is run by a kaleidoscopic cast of dedicated individuals – from teachers and administrators to support staff and cleaners. However, while it’s great that we celebrate Teachers’ Day and honor those who provide a direct service to our students, there’s an unfortunate lack of Janitorial Staff or Canteen Ayi Days to recognize these irreplaceable people in our communities who often operate behind the scenes. Jingkids decided it was time to appreciate these unsung heroes of our kids’ campuses, so we asked schools to nominate their less visible staff members for all their hard work!

Dou Shifu, Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA), Property Engineering

“The Walking Map”

His name is Dou Jianjun and we’d like to call him Dou Shifu. He is in charge of the Property Engineering Department of BIBA. He has been working in BIBA for over 15 years. He loves his job. We call him “the walking map of BIBA” Because he knows all the facilities of school and even every pipeline. Whenever we need him, he will show up with a bright smile. No matter how hard his work is, he always keeps a pure and peaceful mind, which perfectly demonstrates BIBA’s educational concept of “Let Children be fulfilled because of us.”

Zhou Ayi, British School of Beijing, Sanlitun (BSB Sanlitun), Classroom support

“Going Above and Beyond”

Zhou Ayi has worked at the British School Of Beijing, Sanlitun Early Years for 14 years, quietly going about her daily role. Zhou Ayi is amazing with our Tadpole children (under 2 years old), she not only cares for them, attending to their personal needs (changing diapers, feeding the children, helping them to settle to sleep) but also goes above and beyond her role by playing with the children in the classroom, joining in at carpet time and even learning some English Nursery Rhymes and Makaton actions, helping the children to develop their communication and language skills. Zhou Ayi is a friend to everyone in our Early Years, she is patient and kind and is always happy to lend a helping hand or go that extra mile.

“As a new teacher to Tadpole class this year, I really appreciated Zhou Ayi’s help and experience, it made all the difference in making me feel happy and welcome in the new classroom.’’ says Rebecca Zhang – Tadpoles Class Teacher

Brenda Leung, British School of Beijing, Shunyi (BSB Shunyi), PR and Community Development Manager

“Always Ready to Help”

Brenda has worked at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi for seven and a half years as the Public Relations and Community Development Manager. Her dedication and love for BSB and education can be seen in her enthusiastic attitude coming to work every day with a great smile and her professional work ethic in doing what is best for the school and the students. Everyone can always count on her and she is always there to help.

Originally from Hong Kong, Brenda has lived abroad for more than 30 years, completed her IGCSE in England, and her BSc from the University of Toronto. She often shares her own international education and expat experiences with parents and students and assists in organizing school events to help new parents settle down in Beijing. She is an integral member of the team and has built many great relationships with our parents and community partners over the years.

Yajing Chen, Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB), Director of Finance

“Longest Service”

We would like to nominate our Director of Finance, Ms. Yajing Chen! The delightful Ms. Chen has worked with the AKD Education group for 25 years and as the Financial Director at CISB since it opened in 2006. Ms. Chen works incredibly hard, is always positive, and underpins so much of the behind-the-scenes of CISB. Ms. Chen, in many ways, is the unsung hero of our school, whose work all too often passes unnoticed because of her humility and attitude of service to the school and the CISB community.

International Schools Open Houses This Month

Admin — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 03:00:05 +0000

Are you looking for a school for your child or perhaps just curious what the other international schools in Beijing are like? Here are a few open houses taking place this month.

Be sure to join us at this year’s Jingkids International School Expo (JISE) next month on April 9 & 10.

Beijing International Bilingual Academy – March 5 & March 27

Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) is established in 2006. It is a school providing quality bilingual international education based on contemporary education concepts, with a focus on love and fulfillment as well as preparing global citizens deeply rooted in the Chinese culture. The Chinese name of BIBA is “Hai Jia”, originated from classic Chinese literature.“Hai” comes from “海纳百川” which means the ocean accommodates all rivers, and “Jia” comes from “嘉言懿行” which means words of virtues and noble deeds. These Chinese phrases also imply “Great and Wide”, “Splendid and Kind”. BIBA’s vision is to become a model for developing internationally-bilingual ambassadors, who promote inter-cultural understanding, respect, and integration in a dynamic global community.

BIBA’s quality is internationally assured through a variety of accreditation and professional membership. These included accreditation by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) as an IB World School offering the IBDP and IB MYP programmes; accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) of the U.S.A., membership of the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS), International Schools Athletic Conference (ISAC), and East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS). BIBA is also a member of the Cambridge International Examinations Professional Development Centre (PDQ), a test center for the Certificate for Bilingual Teaching Ability test for International Education Teachers, and is a China Aerospace Science and Technology Education Alliance unit. In 2019, BIBA also introduced the Duke of Edinburgh International Award China (DofE China) program to provide students with a broader platform for growth.

Address: No 1. Yumin Road Houshayu, Shunyi District. 北京市顺义区后沙峪裕民大街1号
Contact: 8041 0390, info@bibachina.org
Web: www.bibachina.org

Le Maison Montessori de Pekin – March 5

Conveniently located in downtown Beijing, La Maison Montessori de Pékin (LMMP) kindergarten was created in 2013 originally to answer to the needs of French speaking families in Beijing to have more options for their children’s education. The schools is committed to providing an alternative educational method that adapts to each individual student and is inclusive for each individual family. Their Montessori-certified teachers provide a fully bilingual French-Chinese environment for now more than 17 nationalities of children.

La Maison Montessori de Pékin aims to create a connected community, cultivate the joy of life-long learning and prepare children to the future with care and trust.

Address: Splendid Garden Apartment D109, Xingfucun, Chaoyang District Beijing, 北京市朝阳区幸福村中路锦绣园公寓D109
Contact: 17310857396
Email: lmmp_adm@163.com
Web: www.lmmp-beijing.com

The Children’s House Montessori – March 5

As one of the Montessori schools to have been established in Beijing, The Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten has a deep understanding and experience of how to bring a first-class Montessori education to parents across all areas of the city. Since 1992, we have strived to provide children with the education, freedom, and guidance they need to establish strong academic foundations for successful learning. To equip students with qualities that will help them grow into joyful, righteous, civil, knowledgeable, and caring citizens of the world.

WeChat: TheChildrensHouse
Web: www.montessoribeijing.com
Address: Oceanwide Campus, Beijing 北京泛海园 1, Nanshiliju Road, Dongfeng Xiang, Chaoyang District, Beijing (near Haofeng Sports Park). 北京市朝阳区东风乡南十里居路甲1号（豪丰体育公园内).
Contact: 8556-4611, 8556-4122
Email: info-oceanwide@montessoribeijing.com

Western Academy of Beijing – March 12

Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) is a leading non-profit, independent IB World School. Serving Early Years to Grade 12 students from 51 different countries, WAB offers a rigorous, innovative approach to learning through the full suite of International Baccalaureate programs, as well as bespoke pathways to graduation recognized by universities worldwide. The WAB campus features six clean-air school buildings, as well as world-class athletics and arts facilities, all of which are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and materials. With a focus on empowering students to make a positive impact in their communities, WAB is inclusive and lives its mission to Connect, Inspire, Challenge: Make a Difference.

WAB is a leader of international education around the globe and has been recognized internationally for its community-wide initiative for innovation. The school is known worldwide for its delivery of the International Baccalaureate programs from Early Years through High School students, including the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme. The Early Years curriculum is based on the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. WAB offers a rigorous, innovative approach to learning, as well as a wide variety of flexible pathways to graduation, in which individual students can work with their parents, teachers, and counselors to create a program that fits their specific learning needs and are recognized by universities worldwide.

Address: 10 Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区来广营东路10号
WeChat: WAB_Chat
Contact: 5986 5588, wabinfo@wab.edu
Web: www.wab.edu

Accredited Italian Kindergarten in Beijing – March 14

Accredited Italian Kindergarten in Beijing has been offering bilingual (Italian & English) education with a strong promotion of the Chinese language and culture since 2015. The educational environment is truly international, with children coming from many different nationalities.

The School has a direct partnership with Reggio Children, the Italian institution valorizing and safeguarding the experience of Reggio Emilia’s Municipal Infant-Toddler Centers and Preschools, known throughout the world as the Reggio Emilia Approach. Teachers are in continuous training with experts from Reggio Emilia.

The Reggio Emilia Approach recognizes that each child has all the skills and potentialities that can develop by encountering rich environments, exploration contexts, and experimentation. Boys and girls are subject active, predisposed, and interested in relationships with others, eager to communicate and get to know, “researchers” and “builders” of knowledge, moved from curiosity and the desire to explore. The didactic is innovative and teachers support and document each child’s research path.

Address: SB05-1-012, Sanlitun DRC, No.1 Gong Ti North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 北京市朝阳区工体北路1号三里屯外交公寓SB05-1-012
WeChat: ItalianEmbassySchool
Contact: 8532 2334
Email: info@scuolapechino.com
Web: www.scuolapechino.com

Canadian International School of Beijing – March 12

The Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) offers classes ranging from Montessori Nursery (18 months) to Grade 12 in downtown Liangmaqiao Lu campus. CISB is a three-program IB World School: Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme. Graduates obtain a Canadian (New Brunswick) High School Diploma and the opportunity to complete the full IB Diploma. The current 900+ student body represents over 50 nationalities.

Address: 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区亮马桥路38号
WeChat: CISBeijing
Contact: 6465 7788, admissions@cisbeijing.com
Web: www.CISBeijing.com

Blossom Montessori – March 26

In the heart of Beijing, Blossom Montessori offers a child-centered true Montessori Program for 6 to 12 year old children. They focus on the emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development of the child in a mixed age bilingual environment. Their indoor space is purposely reproducing a home setting, as in the genuine Montessori tradition. Outdoor facilities are top-notch, with a well-cared for garden, pond, and a safe playground. Diverse environment, fully bilingual curriculum, and trained educators will give your child the chance to naturally unfold their potential, with a strong academic foundation. Blossom Montessori also follows an environmental awareness program which aims to reduce waste and impact on the environment. Their location is easily reachable by taxi, subway, and bus.

Address: Sanlitun area
WeChat: Blossom_Montessori
Contact: admissions@blossom-edu.com

Abelia Eveil – March 26

Abelia Eveil is the only school in Beijing that uses the Freinet method of teaching. Here your child will experience a multilingual and multicultural teaching environment. A team of teachers from native Chinese, English and French speaking countries break away from traditional educational models and practices, they implement an individual teaching program that takes the laws of child development into account while respecting the rhythm of their individual development.

Their unique ECEC multi-lingual educational system is based on children’s interests. By mean of thematic activities and games to inspire the inner self, here children make their decisions in group discussions, they cooperate with their classmates in mutual trust, they take responsibilities in different activities and realize themselves through independent exploration. In the nature study base, children’s curiosity and desire to explore are stimulated, so that they learn and develop the ability and habit of observing things alone, they explore answers and express ideas, and become knowledge gainers and creators.

Address: 16 Wangjiayuan Hutong, Dongcheng District Beijing
WeChat: AbeliaEveil
Contact: 65510809, 15010102928

Images: Courtesy of Schools, pexels

Is It Important to Give Back to Your Community?

Michelle Zhang — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 07:00:45 +0000

Dad Li Zheng, mom Chen Yijia, and their two daughters Jessica (Grade 8) and Jenny (Grade 3) consider love to be the foundation of their family, as they respect and accept the individuality of each person as a unique member. Both daughters are currently students at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB), and the family wholeheartedly supports each other in their choices. Big sister Jessica loves to swim and has won multiple competitions. Likewise, little sister Jenny has given up plenty of playtime in order to support her sister, but to her, it’s all worth it!

Answers have been edited slightly for clarity.

Zheng:

“Giving back” is a human instinct just like saying “predecessors plant trees and posterity enjoys the cool,” which means this man’s hard work is not only for his own benefit but also for the benefit of future generations.

Everyone has received the care, education, support, and inheritance of their predecessors, and every descendant has become the “predecessor” of the next generation. Passing on from generation to generation, it will continue to promote civilization and the progress of human society. However, if it comes only from instinct, rather than a systematic and institutional guarantee, the “giving back” often has setbacks, repetitions, and retrogression, followed by productivity regressions and wars.

Yijia:

In society, each of us is actually a beneficiary, so we should do our best to give back to society!

Jessica (age 13):

Yes, I strongly believe that it is important to give back to my community. The community I want to give back to the most is my family because if they didn’t give birth to me I wouldn’t be able to be on this earth, enjoying everything. The second community I want to give back to is my school. If I did not have the opportunity to go to CISB then I would not have knowledge, and not have so many friends. When I grow up, I will help the people that need my help.

Jenny (age 8):

I want to give back to my family because my family gave me life and if I don’t have my family I will not see our earth, so l want to give back to my family. And I want to give back to anyone who helps me.

This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 November-December issue

A Fluent Transition: How CISB Supports Bilingual and Multilingual Learners

Robynne Tindall — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 07:00:15 +0000

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