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Schooling options for expat kids
By Yu Ning |
May 30, 2012, Wednesday
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HANGZHOU is increasingly becoming an international city, with almost 10,000 foreigners living and working there, many of whom have their children with them. And to meet demand, a number of schools, kindergartens and other institutions aimed at foreign children have sprung up in the city.
With International Children's Day coming up this week, Shanghai Daily visits three places where little expatriates can learn and play.
Miss Li's Rainbow Room
Miss Li's Rainbow Room is a fine art class established last year which admits children from any country and teaches in Chinese and English.
It holds classes every weekend under the tutelage of Miss Li herself - founder and head teacher Li Yunming.
Children are instructed under an "artistic therapy pedagogy" - an international method of education requiring teachers to guide students using art. Students are encouraged to express themselves through art, forming interests that combine art and positive values.
"That's the ultimate goal of aesthetic education," says Li.
Li studied textile clothing in university and worked in Taiwan for 13 years where she learned about artistic therapy pedagogy.
Last year Li, a Hangzhou native, came back to hometown and opened the class.
Numbers are limited to six children in each class and Li never imposes restrictions on the tools students can use. However, before class she lays out various tools, such as crayons, watercolors, clay and paper. She gives children a theme and lets them choose their own favorite tools.
Rainbow Room plans three kinds of classes - a primary class for kids under 5, a middle class for kids from 5 to 8, and high class for kids above 8.
Address: 2/F, SC Pottery, 78-8 Kaiyuan Rd
Tel: (0571) 8607-2770
Freinet Education Center of Hangzhou
It is the only trilingual kindergarten in Hangzhou, teaching in Chinese, English and French.
In the center there is an English teacher, a Chinese member of staff specializing in nursery schools and a French teacher.
The Freinet Education Center aims to stress language learning, with English-Chinese bilingual classes four days a week and bilingual French-Chinese once a week.
It is the first Freinet kindergarten in China and is recognized by the International Federation of Freinet Movement.
The Freinet pedagogy was devised by Celestin Freinet, a French educator who created a rigorous education system based on innovative techniques, which is used in more than 57 countries and regions and recognized by many education ministries.
It is a child-centered system and helps each child learn at their own pace, construct knowledge in interaction with peers and adults and develop critical thinking skills, autonomy and access to a real acceptance of responsibility in a living classroom and on the world.
The Freinet pedagogy is addressed to 3 to 6-year-old children, with the curriculum covering five areas - language and writing, science, plastic arts, the rules of social life, physical education and sports.
In order to ensure the quality of the education, Freinet institutions insist on a maximum of 15 children per class and between four and six children per workshop for practice tasks.
Outside guests invited to hold workshops include professors of the China Academy of Art and artists. Parents who can share practical skills, such as gardening and story-telling, are warmly welcomed.
Address: Rm 6025, Wushan Minglou Building, 9 Yan'an Rd
Tel: (0571) 8701-3630
Hangzhou International School
As the only school in Hangzhou that exclusively enrolls children holding overseas passport, the Hangzhou International School has nearly 300 students from around 30 countries.
With Western-standard facilities and an American curriculum, HIS is affiliated with the Shanghai Community International School and enrolls students from preschool to Grade 12.
Children at HIS grow up living among locals in many situations, learning from the cultural similarities and differences - an experience nobody can take away from them, wherever they go.
Located on Dongxin Street, HIS is a small but active expat community, adding to Hangzhou's diverse society.
HIS is growing and offering increasing numbers of subjects and activities to ensure that the school is a good alternative to the ones in Shanghai.
Address: 78 Dongxin Rd
Tel: (0571) 8669-0045, 8669-0044
With International Children's Day coming up this week, Shanghai Daily visits three places where little expatriates can learn and play.
Miss Li's Rainbow Room
Miss Li's Rainbow Room is a fine art class established last year which admits children from any country and teaches in Chinese and English.
It holds classes every weekend under the tutelage of Miss Li herself - founder and head teacher Li Yunming.
Children are instructed under an "artistic therapy pedagogy" - an international method of education requiring teachers to guide students using art. Students are encouraged to express themselves through art, forming interests that combine art and positive values.
"That's the ultimate goal of aesthetic education," says Li.
Li studied textile clothing in university and worked in Taiwan for 13 years where she learned about artistic therapy pedagogy.
Last year Li, a Hangzhou native, came back to hometown and opened the class.
Numbers are limited to six children in each class and Li never imposes restrictions on the tools students can use. However, before class she lays out various tools, such as crayons, watercolors, clay and paper. She gives children a theme and lets them choose their own favorite tools.
Rainbow Room plans three kinds of classes - a primary class for kids under 5, a middle class for kids from 5 to 8, and high class for kids above 8.
Address: 2/F, SC Pottery, 78-8 Kaiyuan Rd
Tel: (0571) 8607-2770
Freinet Education Center of Hangzhou
It is the only trilingual kindergarten in Hangzhou, teaching in Chinese, English and French.
In the center there is an English teacher, a Chinese member of staff specializing in nursery schools and a French teacher.
The Freinet Education Center aims to stress language learning, with English-Chinese bilingual classes four days a week and bilingual French-Chinese once a week.
It is the first Freinet kindergarten in China and is recognized by the International Federation of Freinet Movement.
The Freinet pedagogy was devised by Celestin Freinet, a French educator who created a rigorous education system based on innovative techniques, which is used in more than 57 countries and regions and recognized by many education ministries.
It is a child-centered system and helps each child learn at their own pace, construct knowledge in interaction with peers and adults and develop critical thinking skills, autonomy and access to a real acceptance of responsibility in a living classroom and on the world.
The Freinet pedagogy is addressed to 3 to 6-year-old children, with the curriculum covering five areas - language and writing, science, plastic arts, the rules of social life, physical education and sports.
In order to ensure the quality of the education, Freinet institutions insist on a maximum of 15 children per class and between four and six children per workshop for practice tasks.
Outside guests invited to hold workshops include professors of the China Academy of Art and artists. Parents who can share practical skills, such as gardening and story-telling, are warmly welcomed.
Address: Rm 6025, Wushan Minglou Building, 9 Yan'an Rd
Tel: (0571) 8701-3630
Hangzhou International School
As the only school in Hangzhou that exclusively enrolls children holding overseas passport, the Hangzhou International School has nearly 300 students from around 30 countries.
With Western-standard facilities and an American curriculum, HIS is affiliated with the Shanghai Community International School and enrolls students from preschool to Grade 12.
Children at HIS grow up living among locals in many situations, learning from the cultural similarities and differences - an experience nobody can take away from them, wherever they go.
Located on Dongxin Street, HIS is a small but active expat community, adding to Hangzhou's diverse society.
HIS is growing and offering increasing numbers of subjects and activities to ensure that the school is a good alternative to the ones in Shanghai.
Address: 78 Dongxin Rd
Tel: (0571) 8669-0045, 8669-0044
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