self-study – Beijing Kids

Summer vs School: If They Aren’t Studying, Are They Wasting Their Summer?

Michelle Zhang — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 01:00:47 +0000

Parents, gird your loins, it’s almost the most dreaded gauntlet of the year…summer vacation! We just got them back to in-person learning and now they are boomeranging back to a couch near you. There are formal options to keep them off the PlayStation, of course. Camp is a long-standing childhood tradition and summer school programs are always debated by the highest achieving tiger moms. Many parents waffle between committing to a structured summer plan that will “guarantee” an Ivy League acceptance letter and a carefree summer of beach picnics and family vacations.

But a summer spent at home doesn’t need to be an educational wasteland. Many parents around the world pay a fortune for their kids to spend a summer in a foreign country and enjoy an immersive experience. This could be a great adventure! It will require a little forethought and planning but it’s doable and can be one of the most educationally profound experiences your child has; ultimately teaching them a lot about self-directed learning.

All of the suggestions below depend on age and resources. Teens will obviously be more involved in the planning and research phases while younger students might need more direction from you, and simpler, more hands-on projects. But the important part is that you include them in the process and help them make the most of their summer here in China.

Start with a brainstorming session: What is your child interested in? Make a list of everything they can think of. Outer space, the mystery of the Terra Cotta Warriors, coding, animal conservation, why birds fly, coral reefs, speed reading… There are no wrong answers! Kids are naturally curious so find out what is currently producing wonder and sparking questions for them. I suggest choosing at least one local subject connected to China at large – or more specifically, Beijing – and one broader topic. For our example, let’s say we agree to spend the summer learning about outer space and the Terra Cotta Warriors.

Next, research anchor events: Have older children help with this. What are some local activities that could be helpful in learning about these topics? Beijing currently has a space program exhibit at the China Science and Technology Museum. That’s a perfect day trip for our space research! Likewise, Xi’an is the home of the Warriors and a short train ride away.

Set goals and pick projects: Let them choose a focal point to work towards. Something that they can point to at the end of the summer and feel a sense of accomplishment.

In our example, let’s say they want to learn what makes a rocket fly and help plan the family trip to Xi’an where they can act as an informal tour guide, telling everyone about the Warriors.

Help them make a checklist: All projects have smaller steps that lead to achievement. This is an invaluable skill to cultivate, so help them plan their own success. Their list might look something like this.

Rocket Objective: Learn what makes a rocket fly.

· Go to the library (real or virtual) and check out books;
· Look up videos on the topic from reputable sources;
· Take a trip to the space museum and conduct research;
· Develop a hypothesis and construct an experiment to test it;
*Is a balloon powered rocket possible?
· Run the experiment and form a conclusion.

Terra Cotta Warriors Objective: Take the family to visit the famous excavation site.

· Research the history of the Warriors using books, videos, and social media content so the child can act as the family’s guide;
· Create a short presentation to educate the family prior to your trip;
· Research train times, hotels, museum opening times, and list the costs to help create a budget;
· Submit a schedule and itinerary to the family prior to leaving.

Decide how to document each project: At the end of the summer, you want the kids to have a tangible outcome for the work they did. That can be a written paper, a journal, scrap book, slide show, or short video from the trip – anything that helps them see how much they accomplished.

For example:

Rocket project: Daily scientific journal with notes and photos of the research and experiments.

Xi’an trip: Family slide show of your adventure to send home to extended family so they can enjoy what you did this summer too!

Make a schedule: Create a big calendar your child can look at each day.

The big deadlines first: The trip to Xi’an will happen on [this]day. The experiment will happen on [this]day, and the journal will be presented at a special family dinner on [this]day.

Larger day trips/special events next: Go to the science museum the morning of [this]date and the last day to buy train tickets is on [this]date, etc.

Finally, day-to-day tasks: Block out time for each day leading up to those milestone events. Make sure to leave plenty of time for rest, exercise, and fun. It is summer vacation after all.

A typical day’s schedule might look something like this:

8-9am: Wake up, have breakfast, get dressed.
9-10.30am: Research and experiment time! Read, watch, and take notes that move you toward your goal.
10.30-11am: Record my progress on the rocket in your science journal and make a checklist of next steps/what to do tomorrow during your research time.
11am-noon: Get some fresh air. Go for a bike ride or play on the playground.
noon-1pm: Lunch break.
1-2pm: Rest period. Nap, pleasure reading, Lego builds, or any other relaxing activity.
2-4pm: Play date at the pool.
4-6pm: Unstructured play time. TV and video games are okay here but set the amount of screen time you are comfortable with in advance.
6pm: Family dinner.
8pm: Bedtime.

Obviously, be flexible. The point of this experience is to help kids learn the importance of balancing work and play. Life shifts and the schedule shifts with it. But having a guideline will help stave off the dreaded, “There is nothing to doooooo, I’m booooored!” and allow kids to learn how to structure their own time effectively.

Check in and follow up: There are no grades here. The objective is to have the child love the process of learning and see the growth that results from their efforts. You will need to check in by asking simple questions, offering appreciation, encouragement, and advice as needed.

· What have you learned?
· I didn’t know that!
· That’s so interesting!
· What feels like a challenge?
· How can we solve that problem?
· Do you need some help/What can I do to assist you?

Don’t be shocked if your child goes off on tangents. It’s not uncommon for their research to lead to something else that fascinates them. In fact, that’s a great thing! It means they are enjoying the process. If that happens support the exploration but gently remind them to finish what they started. “It’s amazing that Mars is similar to Earth in so many ways. Let’s make a note of some books and resources we can come back to after you finish the rocket project!”

At the end of the summer, if the rocket doesn’t fly or the Warriors were a bit of a disappointment, it’s totally okay. Your child should feel that they learned something valuable and be proud of their work. To paraphrase John Henry Newman, the quest for knowledge is its own reward.

KEEP READING: Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Take a Look at the Jingkids Summer Camp Index

Images: Pexels

This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 May issue

5 FREE Online University Courses for Learning Mandarin Chinese

Jessica Suotmaa — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 04:00:09 +0000

In the three years I’ve lived in Beijing, I must confess that I haven’t once attended a Chinese class. Admittedly, my Mandarin isn’t that bad to begin with (thanks to my mother’s homeschooling and a year of Chinese classes in first grade), but taking the HSK (standard for measuring your Chinese proficiency in China) has crossed my mind more than a few times.

In the past, I have tried to put some effort into studying…I watched youtube videos, subscribed to (free) websites, downloaded iOS apps, utilized CCTV’s free learn Mandarin website, and even got Pimsleur Chinese idioms. Turns out it’s pretty hard to remember proverbs and idioms, and even more difficult to remember characters.

At some point, I even researched private tutors and decided on one! That was over two years ago. I still have her WeChat (she’s good for business Chinese, FYI).

Now, as I’ve been getting busier (what with children and all), I really doubt I’ll ever drag myself to a legit Chinese class. However, as I’ve taken online courses before, and most of these are “go at your own pace,” I think a university course is feasible.

Here’s a roundup of FREE university Mandarin courses we could all potentially benefit from (if we can just make ourselves do it). The benefit of these courses is that they’re all “verified” and thereby trustworthy sources of information (which is more than we can say about some private tutors):

Basic Mandarin Chinese Level 1

1. Basic Mandarin – Level 1
National Chengchi University’s level one class is for complete beginner’s and only focuses on tones, basic phrases for getting around, and culture. The course is recommended for friends or “groups” since it would allow you the chance to practice (but we’re in China, so…), but otherwise the six units can be completed at your own pace.

2. Basic Mandarin – Level 2

National Chengchi University’s level 2 Mandarin course teaches more vocabulary for daily use, such as describing people and objects, making comparisons, and stating opinions using a variety of sentence structures. The course highlights vocabulary differences between Mainland and Taiwan, and focuses a lot on tones and intonation for basic communication.

Tsinghua Chinese

3. Tsinghua Chinese – Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People

Tsinghua University’s Mandarin course is the most well-known in Beijing, and it’s beginner class acts as a sample and basis for HSK 1 studies! The course is varied and well-organized with dialogue, real-life listening comprehension, Chinese characters, Mandarin songs, and self-study tips. Although I don’t know how this course compares to their official course, you can also get a certificate of completion for USD 49.

Chinese for Beginners

4. Chinese for Beginners

Peking University has a beginner’s Chinese class on Coursera where students can learn basic phonetics and easy day-to-day phrases. The course is six hours long, and although the lectures are delivered in English, you can view subtitles in Serbian, Urdu, French, and Marathi!

5. More Chinese for Beginners

A follow up course to the above, More Chinese for Beginners helps students expand vocabularies about personal information, daily life, food and drink, healthy, and expressions about greeting, suggestion, agreement, comparison, complaint, prohibition, experience, plan, recommendation, etc. No Chinese characters are taught in this class. This class has subtitles in Urdu.

Intermediate Chinese Grammar

BONUS: Intermediate Chinese Grammar

Peking University’s Intermediate Chinese class looks challenging (to me) as it’s for honing your grammar skills if you already have a grasp of Chinese grammar in speaking, reading, and writing for translation purposes. To comfortably take the class, you should have learned 1,500 words and the basics of Chinese grammar.

If you’d rather learn while watching cartoons with your kids, try googling Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, a Nick Jr. cartoon that’s been airing since 2008. I have a friend in the US who was ABC and spoke Cantonese at home, but managed to pick up Mandarin (to some extent) just by watching this show on a daily basis. You can watch full episodes on Youtube and other (not blocked) websites.

You can also check out Open Culture’s roundup of free Chinese learning resources (audiobooks, podcasts, etc.), BBC’s Learn Chinese site, Chinese Education Center has simple phrases, MIT offers their Foundations of Mandarin course textbook online for free, and this site has a really good roundup of useful websites.

Photo: courtesy of Jessica Suotmaa, Flickr

SAT Prep on a Budget: How to Self-Study and Find Cheap Materials

heatherbudimulia — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 05:00:36 +0000

Taking the SAT is far more expensive than it should be, especially when you factor in all the tutors, prep courses, and practice books in preparation for the actual test. I didn’t think my intended prep course justified its price tag, so I decided to study for the test myself. Not only was it a great deal cheaper, as I sourced my own materials and was my own teacher, but it was also more effective.

Of course, studying for a standardized test by yourself requires lots of determination and self-control. I looked at my DIY prep course as a voluntary class where I was both the teacher and the student. It sounded like a recipe for disaster, but it worked for me and I was satisfied with how I did. This blog post will outline how your child can ace the SAT themselves and save tons of money on the way.

Draw up a schedule, find a routine: I set aside two hours every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday night to take practice tests and review test material. This schedule remained the same for maybe two months, so it was easy for me to fall into routine and make sure other things didn’t get in the way.

A lot of my study consisted of practice tests. I made sure to simulate the test experience as best I could. I didn’t study with music and although I was tempted many times to look up a word I knew I knew, I resisted because that opportunity wouldn’t present itself on the test.

Plan each lesson and tailor it to your child’s needs: Figuring out what I needed to work on before studying was really helpful and made sure I was being effective. For example, I knew that the math section was going to slay me, so I made sure one night a week was dedicated to doing just the math sections of practice tests. Conversely, I never wrote the essay prompt because I had consistently scored well on the essay.

Stay motivated and don’t fall off the wagon: This is much easier said than done, but from my experience a strong support system and good schedule are key. My parents helped me by asking if I needed help but not hovering over me and asking how I was doing. The daily “How’s school?” did not become “How’s the SAT?” and for that I’m very grateful.

At the peak of my study regime, I was averaging three tests a week and the pace nearly drove me crazy. However, I kept my Fridays strictly free so I would have something to look forward to and keep me going. No one should fault your child for rewarding themselves for hard work.

Always reflect and be prepared to modify your lesson: As your child works on their skills and takes more tests, their needs are going to change. To notice that change, you should think of your tests as an indicator of your progress and not just a to-do that needs to be done. Never make the same mistake twice by writing down words you don’t know and working on math problems you missed.

Make sure that progress in one area doesn’t result in regress in another by not totally dropping the ball on something you’re confident in. I wrote above that I never wrote the essay prompt, but I still outlined it as I would on the real test and knew exactly what examples I would use and what my thesis would be.

No matter how you study, you’re going to want a lot of practice tests. Buying books and tests from the US can be costly, but there are plenty of ways to get your hands on them in Beijing.

Garage sales, trunk sales, and flea markets organized by your school or your compound are a good place to start. Many people don’t do all the tests in a book and are willing to sell them at a huge markdown. Half-done tests can also be helpful since your child can sort through the bits and pieces and use them for practice in specific sections.

As can be expected from the land of the gaokao, China takes tests seriously. I quickly typed “SAT” into Taobao and using minimal (see: no) Chinese reading found lots of options, including all the tests from the last nine years for RMB 65. It may not be the cheapest option out there, but for RMB 65 I wouldn’t even bother scrolling further.

Although colleges are slowly making the SAT optional, standardized testing is still an expensive reality, especially for students outside of the US. Since you can’t avoid the test fee, international handling fee, and postage, you might as well save where you can and still do well at the same time.

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures (Pixabay)

Heather Budimulia is a rising college sophomore, beijingkids’ intern and 北京人in progress. Though originally from Singapore, she spent a decade in Beijing and since she learned to bake and fell in love with publication there, considers it her home. When not in the office or storing sleep for college, she’ll probably be in a coffee shop with a good book, her journal or a stranger (or all three).