Despite rumors to the contrary, English language learning will remain a critical component of the local education system, the Ministry of Education reiterated earlier this week.

The comments came in a response the Ministry of Education gave to suggestions that Chinese culture should be a larger part of the national curriculum. This is indeed underway, but it will not come at the cost of foreign language learning, the ministry said.

“Foreign language is an important part of students’ all-round development, which helps to cultivate and develop students’ language ability, cultural awareness, thinking quality, learning ability and other core qualities, and cultivate students’ Chinese feelings, international vision and cross-cultural communication ability,” the ministry stated.

According to the ministry, foreign language learning – which in most cases is English –has historically accounted for 6% to 8% of classroom time, and will remain so into the future.

This percentage is significantly lower than that of Chinese (20-22%), Mathematics (13-15%), Physical Education & Health (10-11%), the ministry pointed out.

The ministry suggests that while “it is necessary to study English, it is not necessary to spend too much time on it. Pay less attention to high scores on English tests but focus more on using English for use in daily life — such as dialogue and conversation.”

As for each subject’s value in the highly-regarded local collage examinations, better known as 高考 (gāo kǎo), all subjects including English would carry the same weight as before.

English learning remains a hot-button issue, with some advocating a de-emphasis on learning a foreign tongue, while others advocating it remaining the same or even strengthening it.

One parent commented that time spent on teaching English should, in fact, be increased, as local schools do not provide an immersive English environment for kids to pick up the language.

While foreign language will remain as is, the ministry said that plans are afoot to increase time spent on teaching Chinese traditional culture such as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, in order to allow children to “connect with Chinese culture and increase cultural pride and confidence”. It was also recommended that elements of Chinese traditional culture be included in the college entrance examination. This suggestion was met with largely positive feedback and agreement by local parents.

KEEP READING: Our Picks for Upcoming Education Events

Images: Pexels

Update May 19: Out of an abundance of caution, we are postponing Jingkids Summer Fling from Sat, May 22 to Sat, May 29 (Rain date Sun, May 30). All bought and won tickets will be automatically transferred to this date. Full announcement, including how to request a refund, can be found here.

We’re all looking forward to a little rest after the tumultuous year and a half that’s past. Some families treat summer like a lazy time, others as the fourth semester of school, but we all know that come July, some kind of break from the norm is in order. And that’s precisely where Jingkids comes in, ready to rock your scheduling world with these summer camp highlights. Each week we’ll go behind the scenes of a camp so you can make the right choice for your family.

And don’t forget to get your family’s tickets to the Jingkids Summer Fling on May 29 where you can meet and get a feel for Beijing’s best summer camps with games and activities in one day. It’s the not-to-miss family event of the summer! Scan the QR code below for more info.

Natural Play the Montessori Way at Mammolina Children’s Home Model Montessori Kindergarten

The theme is “Natural Play” at Mammolina’s newly designed natural playground. Each morning, children will enjoy Montessori work time along with independent educational play in the natural playground. What’s more, mixed ages play together according to the traditional Montessori ethos.

By its very name, a natural play space does not dictate how children should play, and young people are encouraged to collaborate and communicate with their peers. Through play in an open-ended setting, children improve their sharing, negotiation, problem-solving, empathy, and leadership skills as they work together.

One of the greatest benefits of natural playgrounds is found in the way they help children improve their fine motor skills. A natural setting involves a vast array of textures, sensory activities, gardens, and natural sounds, which encourage children to engage all of their senses. Through touching, feeling, and collecting natural objects, fine motor activity is challenged and strengthened.

Montessori education emphasizes learning through the senses. Children in Montessori environments learn at their own pace and according to their own choice of activities. Mixed – or multi-age – groups are essential to Montessori, because older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones, initiating and guiding them.

Montessori is a comprehensive educational approach from birth to adulthood based on the observation of children’s needs, with an eye firmly focused on meeting those needs. It is applicable in cultures all around the world because it follows the child and seeks to provide what Dr. Maria Montessori referred to as “the keys to the environment,” i.e., knowledge and experiences that lead to independence.

Summer Camp Facts

Who: Mammolina Children’s Home Model Montessori Kindergarten
What: Immersion in an authentic bilingual Montessori learning environment and a brand new “Natural Playground”
Where: Mammolina Children’s Home Model Montessori Kindergarten, Liyuan Xiaoqu no 36, Maquanying
When: Jul 19-Aug 20
How: WeChat ID: CN69696969696969
Ages: 2-7
Teacher to Child Ratio: 1:4
Prices: RMB 3,500-4,500 per week
About: The camp will be run by experienced Montessori Lead teachers (over 10 years experience) and experienced Montessori Native English teachers. Dr. Montessori began developing her approach more than a century ago. Her work was based on long, careful hours of scientific observation and a profound understanding of children’s natural learning tendencies as they unfold in “prepared environments” for multi-age groups (i.e. 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-15, and 15-18 years of age).

Montessori environments normally include specially designed didactic materials, or manipulatives, that invite children to engage in learning activities of their own choosing. Children in Montessori prepared environments learn by experimenting with the available materials under the guidance of trained adults (lead and assistant directresses and directors, or guides). While learning essential skills they have the opportunity to discover possibilities and relationships, cultivate concentration, nurture motivation, develop self-discipline, and set in place the pillars for a life-long love of learning.

Today, Montessori schools can be found worldwide, serving children from birth through adolescence. Many become independent learners: autodidacts who never stop learning and exploring, showing initiative, and are critical thinkers and scientists at heart both in their approach to learning in particular, and life in general.

Uniqueness in Montessori
In her landmark text, From Childhood to Adolescence, Dr. Montessori wrote, “My vision of the future is no longer of people taking exams and proceeding on that certification from the secondary school to the university, but of individuals passing from one stage of independence to a higher, by means of their own activity, through their own effort of will, which constitutes the inner evolution of the individual.”

Montessori education builds on the continuing self-construction of the child, as life unfolds moment by moment. Although Montessori schools are divided into multi-age classrooms – roughly, infant-toddler (ages 0 to 3), preschool (ages 3 to 6), lower and upper elementary (ages 6 to 9 and 9 to 12, which are often combined), middle school (ages 12 to 15), and high school (ages 15 to 18) – the prepared environment at each stage introduces an uninterrupted series of learning passages, a continuum, that carries on throughout life well into adulthood, and develops into a life-long love for learning. Needless to say, many multi-age environments and communities go well beyond the minimum 3 year age span.

Mammolina Children’s Home Montessori Kindergarten offers children a “living environment” where they can choose their work from the available self-correcting materials displayed on open shelves and work in specific work areas following their own interests and curiosity. Over a period of time, the children gravitate towards what, in Montessori vernacular, is called a “normalized state” and, as a group, into a “normalized community,” working with periods of high concentration and few interruptions.

Normalization occurs through self-directed and purposeful activity, or work which gives rise to repetition leading to concentration. It is an idealized natural state which Dr. Montessori observed children achieving in her prepared environments and included many characteristics such as deep concentration, obedience as an act of will, generosity, independence, self-discipline, and joy. For some children, this inner change takes place quite suddenly, while for others it takes longer, but it always develops and nurtures in the child an ability to deeply concentrate on the activity or task at hand.

Natural playground
One of the latest trends in childcare is the move towards natural playgrounds. A natural playground is designed to make use of existing topography and natural materials to create an open-ended outdoor play area for children to make discoveries and interact with their environment. Play structures within natural playgrounds are often created using tree stumps, logs, rocks, and water, offering a wide range of opportunities to connect children back to nature, while stimulating creativity and encouraging development. Here’s a look at why the idea of a natural playground is becoming increasingly popular among child care centers, schools, and cities throughout North America and beyond.

They Help Children Be More Active
A natural setting lends itself to an increased level of activity. Studies show that when natural elements are incorporated into a playground, the length of time a child plays is more than doubled. Natural playgrounds present a wealth of opportunities for children of all skill and activity levels to improve their fitness levels through play.

They Are Accessible
Natural playgrounds, unlike traditional plastic-style playgrounds, are more welcoming to children of all abilities. A natural playground does not discriminate when it comes to differing fitness levels, abilities, intelligence, genders, and cultures. Children are encouraged to create their own ways to play, rather than being “told” how to play by the equipment available to them.

They Encourage Imaginative Play
Many natural playscapes are designed to stimulate the imagination and encourage creativity. Features are typically incorporated to promote imaginative play through a variety of sensory stimulation including touch, sight, and sound. It has been found that children who play in more natural settings tend to play in more diverse and creative ways, and show improvement in the areas of collaboration and language skills.

CISB 101 Kindergarten Creative Camp 

With Canadian International School of Beijing’s unique Creative Camp, children will enjoy learning and discovering. The Program includes Phonics/Reading, Creative English Workshop, Chinese Language/Culture, Arts and Crafts, Music, Physical Education, Lacy Creative Block, Kung Fu, Swimming, Gymnastics, and Mad Science (curriculum may vary based on ages).

This unique fun-filled phonics class will be taught at two levels. The beginner-level phonics class teaches the basic phonetic sounds of English and helps students distinguish between the names and sounds of letters as well as writing letters. Completing the intermediate-level phonics class will prepare children to read common sentences found in age-appropriate English books.

Summer Camp Facts

Who: Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)
What: Fun-filled phonics learning through creative arts
Where:  Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)
When: Jun 21–Jul 9, Jul 12–Jul 30
*Field trip on Jul 22
How: Please contact the CISB Summer Admissions office: SummerAdmissions@CISBeijing.com
* Application deadline: May 29, 2021
* 15 percent discount for CISB, ISNS, and CCSC students
* Fees include Summer Camp uniform, tuition, all materials, nutritious snacks, and lunches
* School bus service can be provided for limited routes based on the number of students
Ages: 18 months to 6 years old
Prices:
Half-day Program
– RMB 6,500 (2 weeks）
– RMB 9,650 3 weeks）
– RMB 18,150 (6 weeks）
Full-day Program
– RMB 9,650 (2 weeks）
– RMB 13,900 (3 weeks）
– RMB 26,600 (6 weeks)
About: The Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) offers classes ranging from Montessori Nursery (18 months) to Grade 12 in two downtown campuses: the main Liangmaqiao Lu campus and the new Jianguomen Kindergarten. 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 1,000+ student body represents over 55 nationalities.

KEEP READING: Summer Camp Preview: Jingwu Kungfu Training & Mad Science Superheroes

Images: Courtesy of the camps

Update May 19: Out of an abundance of caution, we are postponing Jingkids Summer Fling from Sat, May 22 to Sat, May 29 (Rain date Sun, May 30). All bought and won tickets will be automatically transferred to this date. Full announcement, including how to request a refund, can be found here.

We’re all looking forward to a little rest after the tumultuous year and a half that’s past. Some families treat summer like a lazy time, others as the fourth semester of school, but we all know that come July, some kind of break from the norm is in order. And that’s precisely where Jingkids comes in, ready to rock your scheduling world with these summer camp highlights. Each week we’ll go behind the scenes of a camp so you can make the right choice for your family.

And don’t forget to get your family’s tickets to the Jingkids Summer Fling on May 29! 

Uruguay Football Club Summer Camp

This summer camp not only has an interesting origin story, but also a cool twist: Parents can choose from different options to stay in the Hilton Haikou for a vacation while their kid goes to camp. Project Director Mariano Fernandez recounts how the football summer camp was born: “The idea… came very naturally after reading about the phone talk that President Xi had with President Lacalle Pou. They emphasized the idea of promoting cultural exchange between the two countries, including in the education and sports sectors. Thanks to our personal friendship with the Uruguay Ambassador to China, we were able to follow up and discuss very thoroughly how to implement the wishes of our Presidents for the benefit of our peoples.”

Uruguay has a small population compared to most (about 3.5 million people), yet constantly produces world-class football players. Fernandez believes that success starts in youth, as most kids begin playing football very early. Skills they’ll learn in the camp include: Technical (dribbling, ball control, passing, receiving, finishing); Tactical (understand dynamics of play, 1v1, 2v2, and numeric superiority drills); Match Strategy; Position-specific; Physical; and Mental (emotional control and addressing adversity).

Other than learning football from highly experienced international coaches, Spanish, Latin dance, cuisine, Latin American films, and beach games will also be enjoyed.

Uruguay FC Summer Camp is a multidimensional program formed by a partnership between the Ministry of Sports of Uruguay – with support from the Uruguay Embassy in Beijing – and the Hainan Provincial Government.

Summer Camp Facts

Who: Uruguay Football Club is managed by Global Magellan Cultural Sports Events & Auction Limited, a foreign-invested company in Hainan. The company signed a tri-party agreement with the Uruguay Ministry of Sports (& Uruguay Ambassador to China) and the Hainan Provincial Government to create the Uruguay Football Club.
What: Multidimensional Football Camp in Hainan with Latin American culture exchange immersion
Where: Haikou City, Hainan Province
When: Weekly/Bi-weekly from Jul 4 to Aug 28
How: Scan the QR code below
Ages: 6-14
Teacher to Child Ratio: 1 international coach per 12 kids
Prices: Prior to 30 days of the start date, RMB 8,058/week and RMB 14,433/two weeks. An extra discount applies if more than one participant signs up together.
Curriculum: See above

Conclusion: Kids will receive a completion certificate indicating their participation in Uruguay FC Summer Camp signed by the head coach/project director during the Closing Ceremony.

About: Global Magellan Cultural Sports Events & Auction Limited

Project Director Mariano Fernandez is from Uruguay, and he had his first Summer Camp experience coaching alongside former Italian football stars like Massimo Ambrosini and Billy Costacurta. He is currently coaching at Borussia Monchengladbach Academy in Shanghai and is fluent in Chinese, English, and Spanish. As an amateur player, Fernandez was awarded the 2020 MVP of Shanghai International Football League (SIFL).

Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA)’s English Summer Bridge Program

Sometimes the summer can be a great time to prepare for the school year ahead, however, you still want it to be fun. That’s where BIBA’s English Summer Bridge Program comes in, giving students fun ways to improve their English levels, especially academic reading, writing, listening, and speaking. According to BIBA, “Students will be completely immersed in an English-language learning and teaching environment. They will be given lots of opportunities to respond, and many different ways to participate. BIBA’s professional teachers will create engaging activities that promote active and collaborative learning.”

Students will have many opportunities to make new friends ahead of the school year while immersing themselves in activities and a total English environment through small-group work that focuses on vocabulary, reading, writing, and putting language learning into practice.

Summer Camp Facts

Who:  BIBA Experienced Foreign Teachers
What: An interesting and useful advancement program to help enrich your child’s English reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Where: Beijing International Bilingual Academy – Beijing Campus
When: Jul 5-16
How: Click the link www.bibachina.mikecrm.com/1z5fBia to sign up
Ages: Elementary KG-Grade 5
Teacher to Child Ratio: KG-G1 – 1:7, G2-G5 – 1:10
Prices:  RMB 9,800-15,800
Curriculum: Reading and Writing Workshops, National Geographic Learning: Reach into Phonics

Conclusion:

• Student performance at the end of the camp. For example, a song, play, speech, debate, reader’s theater, etc.
• A published piece of writing to showcase each student’s learning.
• BIBA English Summer Camp completion certificate

About: Foreign English-speaking BIBA teachers will employ BIBA’s English class models to help the students improve their English, step-by-step, over a two-week period.

KEEP READING: Summer Camp Preview: Jingwu Kungfu Training & Mad Science Superheroes

Images: Courtesy of the camps

I was an ardent Manchester United fan growing up, on the seemingly acceptable premise that my mom was born in Manchester. For over ten years I ignored the fact that I’d never actually been to the city and that during the 1994-5 season I’d supported Aston Villa for the equally valid reason that I’d completed them first in my sticker book.

But then, aged 16, I realized that United fans from London are among one of the most hated demographics in the country. The term “glory hunter” plagued my school days and I subsequently switched my allegiance to local minnows, Brentford FC, to escape the abuse. Nonetheless, I still harbor a hidden love for the reds and feel a certain pride when I see the city of my ancestors emblazoned across a car in my hutong or a counterfeit shirt on the back of a young Chinese fan.

If any of your teens are equally inspired by United (or indeed Manchester’s second club, the disgustingly cash-rich Manchester City) then I have the best summer camp for you. Ever. It looks so good that I wish I was ten years younger and that English was my second language, just so I could go.

Champions English is a two-week program that takes place in the “City of Champions” itself. Based on the idea that people learn languages faster when they’re doing something they enjoy, the program fuses (you guessed it) English and football.

If you can get your kids over to the rainy north of England they will take part in skill sessions and practice matches on the pitch each morning. By afternoon, they will study English, using the beautiful game as a basis for developing language skills. And if you’re worried that this means that your children will return with a bunch of useless football phrases such as “Are you blind ref?” and “My Grandma could have scored that one”, then fear not. Instead, the course’s teachers will use interviews with famous players, match reports, and discussions about tactics to cover all aspects of grammar and vocabulary.

Designed for boys and girls aged 13-17, the program provides 30 hours of classroom time learning English and 20 hours of football training with UEFA-qualified coaching staff (with “English Premier League Experience” according to the brochure). Best of all, the program of activities and excursions include a trip to the mighty “Theater of Dreams” (Old Trafford stadium), as well as the enemy’s soulless home turf over at Manchester City’s Etihad.

The experience will set you back EUR 2,500 (about RMB 20,600, excluding flights and visas), which includes accommodation, meals and activities for the two-week trip. There are also a number of other excursions included, and although I’ve never been to Manchester, I’ve heard it’s lovely.

There are four programs running through July and August. Visit www.champions-english.com or email info@champions-english.com. Accompanying adults are welcome.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons