I’ve sat through a lot of interviews on both sides of the table and I’ll share with you one of my pet peeves: When I ask, “What questions do you have?” and am met with an “uh…” It tells me the candidate was unprepared for the interview and it can also imply that, at best, they don’t really care where they work or at worst, are only in it for the paycheck. Perhaps more importantly though, it’s a wasted opportunity for the candidate to really impress the interviewer.

I reached out to two other educators with tons of interviewing experience – Jennifer Hyde Sachs, the founder of The Learning Center and Administrative Principal of Hyde Academy and Jennifer Holstein, Director of Human resources at Pingo Academy. Together, we discuss the questions a great interviewee should ask.

Ask about the culture: Hyde Sachs told me she loves it when prospective employees ask about company culture and ethos, so try and show an interest in what makes this school community tick. Start by asking a question that shows you did some research on the program and want to know more.

Possible question: “I really love how your school encourages students to get involved in their community. I am particularly impressed with the student-driven sustainability initiative from last semester. What do you do as a school community to inspire the students to action and support their initiatives?”

Ask about the social environment: Holstein says she “[likes]to see critical thinking on [the interviewee’s]part about the working environment.” Signal you are interested in building relationships with other staff members and that community environment and culture matter to you.

Possible questions: “Are the teachers social outside of work?” Or, “How do you judge when staff morale is really high or really low?”

Growth and development: Hyde Sachs stressed how important it is when a person demonstrates that they’re looking to grow and evolve. Signal you want to work on your skills so you add value to the wider community. It also signals you are looking to stay for a longer period of time.

Possible Questions: “I’m always interested in developing new skills, can you tell me about a professional development you hosted last year?” Or, “Are their growth opportunities over time? What qualities do you look for when promoting someone from within to a leadership role?”

Value add skills: Let the interviewer know you are interested in being a part of the wider school community and draw attention to other line items on your resume that they may have missed.

Possible question: “I loved coaching debate/theatre/swim at my previous job, is there any chance I could be involved in helping your team?”

Push the envelope…in a good way: “I like it when they make me think outside the box,” Holstein says. HR sees a lot of candidates. Stand out by showing them you are aware of the issues schools are facing and can be a part of the discussion and solution. This can be tricky, make sure you don’t come off as arrogant or combative but if you pull it off it’s almost a guaranteed offer.

Possible questions: “How have you all been handling X? Have you considered (insert new and innovative idea here)?”

Salary and vacation: Do not start with this! In fact, if you can, wait for them to mention it and then negotiate if necessary. But if you have something that boils down to a deal-breaker, find a way to ask that shows you need the caveat, but still want to serve the kids and community. For example, “My sister is getting married this year and I will really need some extra home leave. How could we work it out so my absence won’t be a burden on other teachers?” Or, “I have two children and would love for them to be a part of this school community as well. Do you offer any tuition discounts for staff?” Both of these states your needs very clearly but also shows that you’re not oblivious to the impact those needs might have on others.

That’s our best advice. Go get ’em!

KEEP READING: Where Beijing’s Teachers Get Their Back-to-School Class Supplies

Images: Unsplash

Over the past week multiple international schools in Beijing have delayed their previously announced starting date for the new academic year, in part due to the recent batch of COVID-19 cases in the city, as well as a newly-enforced government mandate.

The Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) sent out a formal notice on their WeChat platform to parents and guardians on Jul 30, revising their original start date from Aug 9. The notice did not provide a new start date, but promised to provide the latest update as the school receives information from local authorities.

Three days earlier on Jul 27, Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) sent out a letter to parents that the school’s start date would be postponed from Aug 11 to Sep 1, citing a government-issued notice that requires public schools to start school at the same time.

AISB-Hope International has also revised their starting date from Aug 17 to Sep 1.

This is in line with the news that all private bilingual schools are required to follow the Chinese National Calendar, as part of a new law enacted by the Chinese government back in May. However, the manner of enforcement of this law was not specified, and enforcement has been varied depending on the different school licenses and board members. It has been said that this law was passed in order to standardize all Beijing schools, starting with the academic calendar, and possibly extending to the curriculum as well.

Many international schools have yet to issue notices regarding school start delays. The starting date for  Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) is still Aug 26 as previously planned. As of Aug 3, the school has not issued any notice to parents of their intention to revise their starting date.

KEEP READING: Beijing Leads Forbes China’s List of Top 50 International Schools in China

Images: Pexels

For parents of school-aged children, education plays a huge role in deciding where to live, whether you’re moving to Beijing, out of Beijing, or even just to a different part of the city. And with a city as large as this, with literally hundreds of different schools to choose from, it’s no wonder that parents can sometimes feel overwhelmed.

In order to help the international community make confident, informed choices for their families, each year beijingkids publishes a School Choice Guide with the latest news in education, Beijing’s international schools, scholarships, after-school programs, and everything that goes along with it. Whether you’re sending your child off to school for the first time or selecting a transfer school, it’s important to weigh your options first, and we aim to take all the guesswork out of it. The beijingkids website (www.beijing-kids.com) has a full, detailed list of all of Beijing’s international schools along with their requirements and latest tuition fees, but to get you started, here is a general guide about things you should consider when looking for a school for your child.

Cost

For those lucky expats whose kids’ tuitions are included as part of their employee benefits, the Beijing international school system is your oyster. On the other hand, for those who’ll be paying out of pocket, the tuition can be as high as RMB 300,000+ per school year, so obviously, your budget is a huge factor. There’s no point wasting time touring campuses of schools you know you won’t be able to afford, so first identify the schools that are in your budget, as well as the ones who offer financial assistance or scholarships, and narrow your search from there. If you have more than one child, be sure to ask the school about the sibling discount.

Distance

If you haven’t discovered this yet, you soon will… Beijing’s traffic is notorious, and cross-city commutes in the early morning and afternoon during rush hour are a nightmare. Before settling on a school, do a test commute between your house and the school during school hours on a weekday (for real-world accuracy) and see how long it takes. Long transits can wear your kids out, especially if they have a lot of homework and after school commitments. It also means that you, as a parent, will need to spend a lot more time in traffic in order to play an active part in your child’s school life.

Curriculum

Beijing is a smorgasbord of schools, offering a wide range of different curricula, from Hybrid Curriculum, International Baccalaureate (IB), Bilingual Approach, Multiple Intelligences, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and English National Curriculum, special needs-focussed, and many, many more. The good news is that with a bit of research, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your child. On the other hand, if you know that you will only be staying in Beijing for a short period of time before moving back home, look for a school that’ll offer them a curriculum most similar to what you’ll return to, to maintain consistency in your children’s education.

Extra-Curricular Activities

When you’ve narrowed down your school choices to a few favorites, one of the determining factors will likely be the types of extracurricular activities that the schools offer. Nowadays, when applying to college a student’s grades aren’t the only determining factor, and their extracurricular activities play a huge part in making a student stand out. If your child is already passionate about various activities and sports, finding a school that invests both money and time into those is crucial. While every international school in Beijing will boast an impressive array of activities, their focus will vary with some schools in Beijing having internationally renowned student clubs that just might be exactly what your child is interested in.

Mandarin

One of the perks of living as an international family in Beijing is getting to immerse yourself in a completely different culture, and learning a new language. Almost all schools will offer the option of Mandarin classes for their students but if you’re adamant about giving your child maximum exposure to the local language, then perhaps consider a school that offers a bilingual program.

School Size

Does a large campus automatically mean that the school is better? Not necessarily. Beijing’s international schools can range from having under 100 students to over 1,400 students, but the school you choose should be determined by what fits your child’s needs. Visit both types of campuses with your child and get a feel of what works for them.

Parental Involvement

Are you working fulltime or are you a so-called ‘trailing spouse’ with more time on your hands? Before committing to a school, find out exactly what they expect from parents. Furthermore, find out if the schools’ Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has a lot of influence over the administration of the school. If you’re new to the city and have yet to create your own circle of friends, the PTA can be a great place for you to meet like-minded parents, offering you a place to network and socialize, and can also serve as a platform so that you can contribute to the school and its community at large.

Photos: CISB

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 June issue

Every year we have the distinct privilege of compiling a School Choice Guide (SCG) for our readers. This special issue of our magazine is not only a comprehensive look at the state of international education in Beijing, it also acts as a compendium to our annual Jing International School Expo (JISE), so that parents and students are equipped to make the most out of their visits with principals and staff at the event, and ultimately find the best school for their family.

Due to COVID-19, we were unfortunately forced to delay JISE, however, our 2020-2021 School Choice Guide is available and jam-packed with information! Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with everything from the various curricula followed at different institutions, to the ways in which schools ensure that all their students receive an equitable education, no matter their learning needs.

For now, check out our feature on scholarships and learn how your student can get a leg up in the competition. Then pop over to our School Profiles Index and find out which Beijing international schools offer these valuable awards.

It’s no secret that the one-size-fits-all model which has historically dominated educational institutions is increasingly contested as an equitable and sustainable pedagogical approach. Thanks to a litany of new studies, curriculum developers who are willing to take risks, a rapidly changing world in which rote memorization and conveyor belt academia no longer prepares kids for the future, and a general acceptance of diverse minds within any given student body, more and more professionals in the education sector are beginning to realize that if we truly want children to succeed, we have to work with them, instead of demanding that they work with us.

Part and parcel of this conversation is a much-needed paradigm shift in what it means to be a special needs learner. In fact, according to UNESCO, a special needs education is quite broadly defined as an, “Education designed to facilitate the learning of individuals who, for a wide variety of reasons, require additional support and adaptive pedagogical methods in order to participate and meet learning objectives in an educational program.” Furthermore, UNESCO defines reasons for being a special needs learner as including, but not limited to, “disadvantages in physical, behavioral, intellectual, emotional, and social capacities.”

So it should come as no surprise that Beijing’s international school community, which has a demonstrable track record in educational innovation and curriculum design, is also a hotbed for special needs advocacy and holistic approaches to inclusive pedagogical standards of care.

Of the 58 schools profiled in this year’s School Choice Guide, more than half of them offer extra help for students who need it. We spoke with two of them, 3e International School and The International School of Beijing (ISB), to get a better idea of what a special needs education looks like, and what resources are available for students who exhibit atypical learning styles.

Dr. Ira Canada is a learning specialist at 3e International School. When asked about 3e’s approach to a special needs education, he stressed the importance of establishing a learning philosophy, stating, “We believe in providing access to standards-based learning through a multisensory and differentiated instructional approach, with the intention of unlocking the genius in all of our students. Teachers use a differentiated approach to instruction, and they understand a students’ needs and plan accordingly. We have a committed Learning Support Program which is designed to support the child, the teachers, and the family.”

Likewise, ISB approaches learning through a collaborative process that focuses on understanding each student’s learning profile and personalizing instruction to match student needs. Students with learning disabilities are provided accommodations that offer access to their grade-level content and where necessary, a modified curriculum tailored to the student’s individual learning needs. The school uses a variety of assessment tools to better understand student learning and guide instruction, challenging each student at their individual level of achievement. For English language learners, the school implements a Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) approach, with a focus on cultural proficiency, when teaching students English. English proficiency is monitored and assessed using the WIDA assessment tool, a widely used assessment tool in international schools around the world.

It is also important to note that, oftentimes, students suspected of being within the spectrum of special needs learners might actually be experiencing minor, adjustable issues that inhibit learning faculties, such as with language. As Dr. Canada points out, “We are mindful that often language needs and learning needs may actually manifest in similar ways. What may appear as a learning need, may actually come down to issues with language and communication.” As a result, 3e International School recently strengthened their Learning Support Program (LSP) to accommodate the diversity of its student body. Essentially, because the school serves students in a dual-language format, distinguishing communication deficits from specific learning needs is important. By focusing on these areas and installing language supports that encourage communication, the behaviors are extinguished and attention can be given to genuine educational needs.

When it comes to boots on the ground, so to speak, both ISB and 3e International School have an impressive roster of support staff.

At ISB, for instance, students have access to speech and language pathologists, counselors, learning support teachers and instructional assistants, as well as an on-site occupational therapist. However, this is just the beginning of a long-term strategy towards fully integrating students with special needs into campus life. In fact, by August, ISB will have introduced new initiatives for students diagnosed with intellectual and cognitive disabilities including global developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

And at 3e International School, teachers regularly participate in trainings, the most recent of which focused on self-regulation skills. Similarly, future courses will address strategies for working with learners on the autism spectrum, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and thus the onus of care shouldn’t fall on educators and staff alone. In fact, schools like 3e are also examining ways to include parents in their long-term strategies. “Parents participate in monthly Tea Talks,” explains Dr. Canada. “These informative sessions give parents advice and strategies to deal with challenging situations as parents. Our first Tea Talk, ‘Positive Parenting Strategies’, provided parents with valuable advice to help them implement simple strategies to maximize the likelihood of challenging behavior situations.” This approach ensures that progress made by trained professionals working with special needs students in the school are further enforced, and ultimately enhanced, by parents at home.

The challenges of parenting are unlike any other that we face, a Sisyphean struggle that lasts well beyond your child’s maturation. Add to that a unique set of tribulations outside the purview of those which other parents encounter, and it’s enough to feel like you and your child are completely alone in the world. Nevertheless, thanks to folks like Dr. Canada and his colleagues at 3e International School, as well as the team at ISB, those who have dedicated themselves to the admirable task of understanding diagnoses which have been historically, and often severely, misunderstood,there is hope for families whose children live with disabilities, and those who fall within the ever-expanding spectrum of special needs learners.

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 School Choice Guide

Every year we have the distinct privilege of compiling a School Choice Guide (SCG) for our readers. This special issue of our magazine is not only a comprehensive look at the state of international education in Beijing, it also acts as a compendium to our annual Jing International School Expo (JISE), so that parents and students are equipped to make the most out of their visits with principals and staff at the event, and ultimately find the best school for their family.

Due to COVID-19, we were unfortunately forced to delay JISE, however, our 2020-2021 School Choice Guide is available and jam-packed with information! Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with everything from the various curricula followed at different institutions, to the ways in which schools ensure that all their students receive an equitable education, no matter their learning needs.

For now, check out our feature on scholarships and learn how your student can get a leg up in the competition. Then pop over to our School Profiles Index and find out which Beijing international schools offer these valuable awards.

The days of a teacher standing in the front of a classroom throwing words at students and hoping something sticks is long gone. Education has undergone an incredible transformation of unparalleled diversity and complexity. With so many schools teaching a multitude of curriculum types, it can be easy to get lost in what each school has to offer in the terms of teaching approach and student learning. To get a better understanding of the different curricula out there, we interviewed seven schools that have all adopted a specific curriculum to teach their student body. Please keep in mind that this guide is not meant to suggest which curriculum is the best, but to simply give a better understanding of how they differ from one another and how some of Beijing’s schools implement them.

Hybrid Curriculum

A hybrid curriculum is just as its name suggests. Two curricula are selected by the school, one being an international curriculum such as IB or Common Core using English as its main language for instruction, and the other being the national curriculum of the country the school is in. Therefore, schools have much greater flexibility in the courses they can provide for students as well as making the transition into enrolling in the school easier for students who are coming in from public schools. Core subjects from the Chinese National Curriculum are taught, but the teaching approach may be more Western as hands-on activities such as presentations, debates, and team-oriented research are incorporated.

How Hybrid Curriculum works at BSB Shunyi:

Students at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi (BSB Shunyi) follow an enhanced English National Curriculum completing the IGCSE examinations at age 16. Then senior students aged 17 and 18 study for the IB Diploma. Their German Primary Programme for native Germans includes the Thuringia Curriculum core subjects in German and integrates into the English Curriculum for the other subjects with their peers.

International Baccalaureate

IB programs are designed to have students think critically and challenge one another as they are encouraged to become independent global citizens. There are four main programs offered to students: The IB Diploma Program and the IB Career-related Program (ages 16-19), the Middle Years Program (ages 11-16), and the Primary Years Program (ages 3-12). IB schools have been authorized and accredited to teach these programs by the International Baccalaureate.

How International Baccalaureate works at BCIS:

Beijing City International School (BCIS) employs a play-based approach to early childhood learning, an inquiry-based approach in their Elementary School, and an impact-based approach to the Secondary School learning. The three approaches to the IB programs enable students of all ages to guide their learning and apply it in meaningful ways. For their oldest students, the Secondary School Learning Model develops the four key impacts of critical thinking, creative thinking, purposeful doing, and connected learning to best equip these students to meet personal goals in their future education and lives beyond.

Bilingual Approach

While not officially a curriculum, it is still an approach to learning that has been adopted and applied by many schools. Its focus is on having two languages taught with the goal of both languages being considered as primary languages for the learner. This approach is highly recommended to take place for learners before they turn 7, in order for them to have a more manageable time reaching fluency.

How Bilingual Approach works at BIBA:

The Bilingual Approach to education at Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) is ultimately about making connections, facilitating communication, and expanding horizons by providing opportunities for students to learn two languages simultaneously.

Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia is a student-centered and experiential learning approach that is based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery, creating a self-guided curriculum. The aim of the Reggio approach is to help children reach their full academic and social potential.

How Reggio Emilia works at House of Knowledge:

House of Knowledge (HoK) was the first school in Beijing to adopt the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. In the pursuit of creating a rigorous elementary curriculum for internationally-minded students, HoK elementary school adopted the highly regarded International Primary Curriculum (IPC), which is a comprehensive thematic curriculum with emphasis placed on meeting students at their academic and developmental levels.

Multiple Intelligences

Multiple Intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It is a competency-based curriculum mainly for kindergarten and elementary schools. There are numerous ways intelligences can manifest, ranging from linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.

How Multiple Intelligences works at Ivy School:

Designed around a six-week inquiry cycle, the curriculum explores six theme units over the course of a school year. Working with teachers, children participate in activities that seek to help them to explore and answer focus questions that allow them to develop a deeper understanding of their world. Ample time is set aside for play as it is the most important “work” of children. Not only do Ivy kids learn the knowledge and skills that they will require for first grade, but also thinking routines and learning habits such as planning and reflection that will serve them throughout their lives.

Montessori

Founded on the belief that every child should be respected as an individual and allowed to learn at their own pace within the prepared environment of a classroom, the Montessori approach provides children with mixed-age classrooms by stages rather than grades and makes individualized teaching and development plans. Teachers are directors, supporters, and collaborators.

How Montessori works at MSB:

The teachers at International Montessori School of Beijing (MSB) are constantly observing, assessing and planning lessons to meet the needs of the children. Studies are integrated not only in terms of subject matter but in terms of moral learning as well, resulting in an appreciation and respect for life. Elementary-aged children are in a world of the abstract, and the instruction given to them must appeal to the imagination.

English National Curriculum

The English National Curriculum was launched in 1988 by the UK government and used by all state schools in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Under the English Curriculum, students study the full breadth of subjects divided into blocks of years known as “Key Stages” (KS). These Key Stages are designated into 4 different stages which go from KS1 to KS4, and the curriculum is constantly undergoing developments which gives it a high standing compared to more linear ways of learning.   

How the English National Curriculum works at Harrow Beijing:

Since the establishment of Harrow Beijing in 2005, they have developed their own curriculum which takes the best of the English National Curriculum and also incorporates elements of the Chinese curriculum. Their chosen curriculum at the Senior School and Sixth Form is IGCSE and A-Level, which require students to think and not just regurgitate facts, to develop independent, investigative styles of learning. It seamlessly flows from the Early Years Foundation (2 years old) right through to Y13 (18 years old).

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 School Choice Guide

Our future is in the hands of our children. The team at Moonshot Academy is a group that’s passionate about the potential of their students as well as optimistic about the future. Founded in 2017, the school is comprised of a proud team of staff and advisors, amongst whom are a member of the Chinese people’s political consultative conference, former Apple engineers, artists, and a philosopher who are all keen to educate and inspire.

On January 15, Moonshot Academy invites the Beijing community at large for an in-depth insight into their philosophy by showcasing the work of their students. Their learning experiences are primarily active and project-based where students apply knowledge and skill to real-world problems.

Their event Night at the Museum: Secrets of Moonshot Academy will exhibit their programs which are based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations with a mission to foster fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens.

Those interested in attending Night at the Museum: Secrets of Moonshot Academy, scan the QR code below and get ready for a unique tour of Moonshot Academy that starts out in complete darkness.

82 Daniwan Lu, Haidian District, 
Jan 15 from 6-9.30 pm

Photos: Moonshot Academy, unsplash

As the government ramps up its efforts to combat Beijing’s air pollution, a number of the city’s international schools have followed suit by re-evaluating their air quality management policies and taking action to create cleaner campus environments for their students.

Setting upper AQI (Air Quality Index) limits to determine when outdoor activities should be canceled has been a priority for many international schools. All seven of the institutions we surveyed in early 2013 told beijingkids they had established AQI limits based on readings from both the US Embassy and the Chinese government.
It may seem like a small and simple step. But for many students, not having such policies in place could spell the difference between a productive day at school or a day – if not a whole week – at home sick. The World Health Organization considers PM 2.5 readings in excess of 25 micrograms per cubic meter as potentially harmful to asthmatics.

Last January during the now-infamous Beijing “Airpocalypse," the density of PM 2.5 particulates surpassed 700 micrograms per cubic meter. Harrow International School of Beijing reported a sudden increase in students with upper respiratory infections, but the phenomenon could not be directly linked to the sky-high pollution readings.

This alarming spike, along with other health concerns, prompted the school to revise its AQI policy last April from a cut-off point of 275 to two different levels that determine when students are restricted from outside activities. Harrow also posts current AQI readings around play areas and guides students on how to modify their activities on polluted days.

“When the AQI reaches [200 and over] younger students do not go outside. For our older students, the cut-off is 251,” explains Nici Newbold, the head school nurse at Harrow. “The different levels take into account the increased effect of pollution on younger children as they tend to be more active during playtime.”

“Healthy lifestyles are a key part of the school’s curriculum and air quality is also discussed with students during tutorials,” Newbold adds. “Students need to understand air quality and its effects, and not just be told they can’t go outside to play.”

Several schools have also invested in free-standing air purifiers for classrooms. The International Montessori School of Beijing, for example, adheres to a cut-off point of AQI of 200, keeps its units constantly running, and replaces filters regularly. On days that exceed that benchmark, all windows and doors are kept shut students are restricted to indoor activities during recess. Some have even taken up knitting as a result.

Keeping students indoors on polluted days may be sensible, but it can come at the expense of much-needed opportunities for physical exercise. This problem was on the mind of administrators and staff at The International School of Beijing (ISB) when they measured how many days elementary school students had to be kept inside based on the school’s AQI limit of 270.

“When considering the fall semester of 2011, we found that there were four consecutive weeks exceeded our AQI limit,” says Gerrick Monroe, the chief operating and financial officer at ISB.  "As a result, our students had to stay in the cafeteria and library during recess about 20 percent of the time. We needed another option.”

To get around this problem, ISB came up with an ingenious solution: the school constructed two sealed sports and recreation domes to ensure that students could still exercise on polluted days.

“They love the fact that they have places to run around,” says Gerrick. “They still prefer playing outside, [so]we are working on making the domed areas more fun for them.” With the introduction of the domes, students at ISB are still able to get the physical exercise they need when the AQI exceeds 150.”

Filled with purified and pressurized air, ISB’s two sports and recreation domes sit side-by-side on an area spanning over 8,500sqm. Facilities include a five-a-side soccer pitch, a 400m running track, a large multi-purpose area, and six tennis courts. The domes also have heat recovery systems to maintain an ambient temperature, allowing students to practice a variety of traditionally "outdoor" sports regardless of season or temperature.

Besides the domes, ISB has taken steps to improve its indoor air quality. The facilities team upgraded the air filtration system across the campus by installing 34 new air handlers designed to provide what is called "pharmaceutical-grade" air equivalent to the quality of air in a pharmaceutical laboratory. Pressurized entrances and stairwells ensure this air quality throughout the 51,000sqm premises.
Not surprisingly, all these improvements require significant investment and maintenance. But consider these numbers: The average AQI at ISB reads between 30 and 40 in the domes and 10 to 15 in the classrooms any given day. Parents and faculty agree that the expense is necessary to ensure a safe learning environment for staff and students.

“I think everyone understands that we are in Beijing and unfortunately pollution is not something we can change,” says Carol Kim, vice president of planning and communication at YueCheng Education, which oversees Beijing City International School (BCIS). “But what we can change is the mini control of our environment.”
As with the other schools, BCIS has installed Blueair air purifiers in all nursery and pre-kindergarten classrooms. When beijingkids visited the campus last November, the school was aiming to filter all of the campus’ indoor air by year’s end. 
BCIS is also building an environmentally-friendly Early Childhood Center (ECC) for its youngest students. With a scheduled completion date of August 2014, it will be the first pre-school building in Beijing to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to have the Gold standard certification.

According to Kim, the building will maximize exposure to sunlight, which will be converted into solar energy. In addition, there will be a rooftop garden where students can grow their own vegetables.

“Beijing is our home and we want to be as proactive as we can when it comes to air quality,” she says. “We believe that it is our responsibility to take measures and educate our children that you have to be aware of the environment and do things to make it better for everyone.”

Find the downloadable 2014-2015 School Choice Guide here.

Photos courtesy of BCIS and

Parents with young children may feel like university or college is a long way off. In the daily battle to get the kids packed up and on the school bus, the idea of their future academic ambitions (and associated financial demands) can seem like a dot on the horizon.

But with fees at top US universities reaching as much as USD 50,000 (around RMB 305,000) a year, parents who delay or ignore the issue altogether do so at their own (and more crucially, their children’s) peril.

Higher Education Costs
If you are planning for your kids to study abroad, you may need to pay significantly higher fees than the country’s citizens. Even if you plan for your children to return to your home country, you cannot be certain that the costs you anticipate will remain the same.

Taking inflation into account, the price of education has proven fickle. In 2012 for instance, the maximum yearly tuition fees that British higher education institutions could charge domestic students jumped from GBP 3,290 (around RMB 33,000) to GDP 9,000 (around RMB 89,000) – an increase of 174 percent.

Next, factor in living costs (which may need to include rent in an expensive major city) and you may find yourself facing a huge yearly bill. In some countries, low-interest loans are available to students and plenty of institutions offer scholarships, but it is very difficult to know what assistance will be available to your child when it comes time to apply.

Put simply, enrolling your kids in university is an expensive endeavor and it is hard to predict how much you will need to put away. But despite these uncertainties, one thing is for sure: if you save too little or start too late, you risk having to compromise on the standard of the institution that you are able to afford.

When to Start and How Much to Save
There is no simple answer to the question of when to start saving, according to Mark Matlaszek, a senior financial advisor at BlueStar AMG, an asset management company catering to the expat market in Asia. While he sees plenty of families with young children looking to begin education planning, Matlaszek also encounters parents-to-be preparing for the future.

“It can be too late to start, but it’s never too early,” he says. “Let’s say you’ve got a child on the way and you’ve got to set aside USD 200,000 for their higher education [over]an 18- or 19-year window. To accumulate that sort of money [in]this timeframe is very affordable and very possible. If you have a shorter window then it becomes incredibly expensive and difficult.”

The next obvious question for parents is “How much do I need to save?” Again, there is no definitive answer and it will depend on what type of institution and course you are aiming for. Some may want more flexibility to cover the larger financial burden of top universities or programs like medicine and architecture. Each family’s circumstances will be different, but your financial planning will always revolve around three main factors – your existing assets, the income available for regular contributions, and the amount of time you have left before your child enters higher education.

Some parents may choose to manage their own savings, assets, and investments. This could be in the form of safe but low-yield options such as fixed-interest accounts, or other traditionally stable investments such as  property. Others look to higher-risk options such as the equity markets (stocks and shares).

Your ability to absorb potential losses is another crucial factor in decision-making. But this resilience to risk is likely to change over the course of the saving period. Choosing an investment or saving plan that allows you to adjust the level of exposure to risk can help maximize your returns while ensuring that your money remains relatively safe in the long term, suggests Matlaszek.

“If you have a [long]time frame, you should perhaps aim to be a little bit more risky in the early years – equity investments, for example. That means you have plenty of time for recovery and to take advantage of market volatility,” he advises. “As the years go by and you get closer to reaching your goal, you should be shifting to a much lower-risk portfolio because any gains that you’ve made or capital that you’ve accumulated need to be protected against negative market movements.”

Plans and Packages
For parents who do not know their bonds from their bear markets, fear not – many people turn to structured plans for long-term savings. Even those who are fluent in finance may benefit from the ease of a managed plan, as well as the ability to spread their risk more widely.

The type of arrangement that Matlaszek often recommends for education planning is fixed-term (in other words, designed to reach maturity when you need to access the money) and can be paid  on a monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly basis. Your money will be spread across funds that comprise a mixture of stocks, shares, bonds, commodities, and currencies. With the assistance of a financial advisor, you can vary the level of risk to suit your circumstances and be confident that someone is keeping a close eye on the markets where you keep your capital.

Many families also find that this type of structured plan helps them be disciplined when preparing for the future. This was the experience of UK-born Paula Zhou, head of schools at The Children’s House International Montessori Kindergarten. Along with her Chinese husband Weihua, she began saving for 8-year-old Eiriana and 3-year-old Liam at the beginning of 2012.

“Living in Beijing can often see life run away with us – exotic holidays and Michelin Star restaurants [are]all on our doorsteps,” she explains. “The salaries that we earn might seem reasonable, but without a scheduled, routine saving plan it was really difficult for us to ensure that we could continue having fun today and provide for our family tomorrow. Having this plan has really helped us feel a little more secure that there is something going toward our children’s future.”

The Zhou family now saves the equivalent of around RMB 7,000 a month, which goes into a fund earmarked for both the children’s education and the couple’s retirement. The investment has a forecasted yield of over 5 percent a year and is managed by an advisor, something that Zhou benefitted from after finding that “the technical jargon of financial planning [was the]greatest cure for insomnia.”
Regardless of your circumstances and needs, independent financial advice should be free and there is often no harm in consulting a professional to see how to make the most out of your current and potential wealth. The most important is to start thinking about the future as soon as possible. A small amount put aside today could go a long way towards securing the best education for your kids.

Editor’s note: Mark Matlaszek was interviewed by beijingkids to provide independent financial advice and this does not equate to an endorsement of the investment packages recommended by BlueStar AMG or any other asset management company. All investments carry a certain level of risk and you should first carefully consider your financial position and the potential losses you are able to absorb.

BlueStar AMG
BlueStar AMG is an asset management group operating across Asia and offering a range of savings, investment, and insurance. The company offers a free 45 minute consultation to discuss your needs. Citizens of mainland China are not permitted to transfer funds to overseas institutions so are normally ineligible for the company’s savings plans, although property investments are available to the domestic market.
16/F, Gemdale Plaza, Tower A, 91 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District (5920 8238 info@bluestar-amg.com) www.bluestar-amg.com

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Photo by Ken