For our column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents. To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:

“How can a preschool-aged child benefit from guided art classes?”

Answering for us is Lia Tedjokusumo, Art Director at Papp’s Tea and Art Educator at Blue Bridge International Education.

I have taught art classes to children as young as 18 months and as old as 15 years since 2014 when I first joined the Blue Bridge Art Educator team. However, there’s something special about my junior 1 and 2 classes that fueled my dedication to the specific levels of younger  students.

The benefits for a preschool aged child taking guided art lessons are abundant. As art educators, we’re not only focusing on the process of creating an artwork and the end result of having a finished product, but we also design the class to have a simple, fun, yet firm structure that will allow our students to develop independence, self-esteem, and social skills.  We aim to stimulate creativity at a baby-speed, where things are not rushed but can be naturally learned and practiced.

Why is baby-speed important?  Children can practice fine motor skills and positive coping mechanisms through art lessons.  I believe in learning prudently, which is what I saw in the children as they evolved class by class. It takes time, repetition, and a stable environment for children to build self-esteem, discipline, and independence.

Art classes allow young children to accomplish without unnecessary pressure. A lot of my students will seek approval for their work, and I always express to them that there’s no good or bad artwork; there’s only “your own” artwork, with less or more practice. What you do will never be the same as what others do, even if you try to copy each other’s work or technique–that’s the beauty of art lessons!

During art classes, students can also learn English while doing something they enjoy. Learning English in an art class is very different than learning English in a regular language class. The material might be less, the vocabulary taught might be simpler, but this makes it easier for young children to remember them. Even now, whenever any of my students tells me something they remember from a previous class, I get emotional (on the inside).

Photos: courtesy of Lia Tedjokusumo

For our new column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents. To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:

“What is improv? Why is it important for students to learn improv?”

Answering for us is Zeng Cheng, previously an engineer, now the director and founder of Horse Horse Tiger Tiger Troupe.

What is Improv?

Improv is short for the word “improvisation”. Improvisation is the act of making something up as it is performed, usually related to music, dance, and theatre. Improvisation is something we do: musicians improvise, dancers improvise, poets improvise, and even think-tankers improvise without any constraints. The act of improvisation brings freedom of imagination, ways of finding solutions toward problems, and helps students explore and discover more with stronger curiosities.

In improvisational theatre improve is a process; a way of making up things and is not a result we can see. Most students who attend my class are not trying to become professional improvisers; they just want to improve their lives. The skills I teach in improve class are the skills we use in our daily lives.

What is improv class like?

In my improv class, I firstly let students PLAY. Playing is what students like about it, as it happens in our bodies and hearts. If we regard improv as a class studying, we are more serious, and when it gets tougher, it’s more like a job, so we start worrying about it until we get sick of it. Improv playing always keeps us engaged, relaxed, and having fun together.

In improve, there are No Mistakes. Instead, we celebrate mistakes as we focus on the process of making and generating new ideas, thoughts, and inspirations. We do not pursue fixed targets or results, so we have no need to judge. We capture everything and go for quantity, which is the perfect way for spontaneity and brain storming as genius ideas can finally come out when we no longer fear making mistakes.

In improv play, we use Yes And mode to communicate, we offer to each other invitations, and we accept each other’s’ offers. Improv is group mind play where we own one mind with many bodies. By saying “Yes”, we completely accept each other’s ideas so we can build something together. By saying “And”, we welcome students to add more pieces of information and to advance what is going on right here and now. As such, we build a friendly and supportive environment for students who are willing to explore and discover.

Since improv is an art form created in the moment, improvisers have to use “active listening skills” to listen actively in order to participate in the scenario and think on their feet.  Improv is a collaborative art form which means we put down our own ego, stop thinking what we are thinking, and start noticing and feeling what others want. Instead of “my ideas”, “your ideas” and “his idea”, they become the first idea, the second idea, and the third idea.

Why is improv so important?

Improv classes have been widely opened in American schools and colleges in an effort to give students the chance to develop their “lizard brains”. The “lizard brain” is in charge of “emotion, feeling, instinct, and imagination”, and by developing them, students are better able to create something out of nothing, feel what others feel, and respond to what others want.

I teach improv classes for kids and teenagers in China, and the more students I have taught, the funnier the student performances have become. Improv has helped so many students open their hearts and minds to embrace challenges, define their own desire, and change their minds from fixed mindsets to growth mindsets. They are able to make a bold choices on their own, go for what they want, collaborate together, and show us what they think and feel.

Photos: courtesy of Zeng Cheng

For our new column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents. To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:
“Why should children learn how to sail? What other skills can they develop?”

Answering for us is Georgina Willis, Chief Instructor at Beijing Sailing Centre (BSC) who has been sailing ever since she was 7 years old.

Sailing is a fantastic sport which helps develop important skills for any age group. I got into sailing as a child, continued in my teenage years, and it boosted my confidence massively by encouraging me to help other children learn as well! The boost in confidence really helps kids meet new people and make new friends as sailing is a physical sport that requires interaction. As a sport, sailing has its own community and a friendly atmosphere due to other sailors always being around to offer help and advice when needed.

Sailing is a skill in itself, but as you learn and improve in sailing, it does teach you many other skills, such as team leadership, as when you’re in charge of your own boat, you need to ensure that everyone on board is correctly completing their respective jobs. They will also learn communication while working with others on board the boat. Clear communication ensures that the boat sails as efficiently as possible, and also allows for gaining water confidence by spending loads of time on and in the water.

Sailing is a growing sport which is already popular worldwide, with many more learning the sport each year. It’s a great way to travel and see the world while learning about new cultures. There’s no downside to learning how to sail, as it can be a hobby, a relaxing time away from school, or even a future career!

Photo: courtesy of Beijing Sailing Centre