Connecting classroom learning to real life experiences
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Guangxi, Henan, Guizhou, Shaanxi. Remote destinations for most travellers, but for Yew Chung International School of Shanghai (YCIS Shanghai) Secondary students, these are some of the destinations for learning beyond the classroom walls. As part of the school’s Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) Program, YCIS Shanghai students have the opportunity to travel to different regions in China, while making direct connections to their coursework at school. The process of preparing students for these learning excursions begins well in advance of the actual trip, with every department conducting a variety of activities related to the learning involved on each journey. Later, when students return to campus after the trips, they spend time reflecting upon the experiments conducted, and experiences shared, during EOTC.
Experiences that add up
According to Mike Herd, head of Mathematics at YCIS Shanghai’s Century Park campus, Maths lessons in advance of the trips are designed to demonstrate and connect to real life applications. Herd says, “Year 7 students travel to Xi’an, and prior to the trip, they work together to create carefully charted, life-sized scale drawings of terracotta warriors.” The scale drawings are then compared to the actual statues during the trip, allowing students to discuss proportion and shapes. Herd also notes the variety of lessons for different year levels, saying that, “Our Year 9 classes investigate the geometry behind martial arts, which they later see first-hand during their trip to the Shaolin Temple in Henan.”
By designing lessons that blend the learning in the classroom with experiences during the trips, teachers at YCIS Shanghai provide students with new perspectives in their study. A Year 11 student, Ben, describes the learning integration that took place during his EOTC trip, saying that, “By analyzing buildings in terms of ratios and dimensions, we had the chance to apply the trigonometry we have been studying to the real world.”
Humanities in action
The YCIS curriculum for the study of Humanities is also tailored to align with each trip, says Chris Cummings, head of Humanities. “A good example is the current Year 9 unit on tourism; before students travel, and after they return, we discuss how Henan Province attracts and meets the needs of tourists,” he says.
Cummings also cites the example of the Year 8 trip, during which students completed a number of activities on the Lijiang River related to their classroom study of rivers and erosion. This transition from the classroom to a first-hand experience proved to be a powerful learning opportunity for a Year 8 student, Mathias, who shares that, “In class, we learned about the role of erosion in karst geological formations and about underwater caves, and it was really interesting to hear our classwork confirmed by the guide during the trip.”
The great outdoors as a laboratory
Lessons learned in the laboratory also lend themselves well to learning on EOTC trips, says Neil Hudson, head of Science. “Getting outside in the real world is a wonderful way to explore science; in fact, the whole world is one, dynamic, ever-changing laboratory! As part of the YCIS curriculum, Year 10 students are currently learning about the human body. In the weeks leading up to the trip to Guizhou, we examined the physiological changes to bodies resulting from exercise, and the effects of elevated altitude compared to being at sea level. While on the trip, students measured their energy, work, and power, and outlined the difference between work and power spent, and how much energy (Joules) was used in the measured task.”
Hudson continues, “Year 8 students are learning about rocks and weathering, so on their EOTC trip, we asked them to think about what caused certain geological formations.” Hannah, a Year 8 student, notes that tying the classroom learning to the trip had a great deal of value, saying, “Seeing the erosion that had taken place along the mountain we hiked really helped us understand the process that we learned about in school.”
Similarly, a Year 11 student, Marcel, shares insight about how the trip connected to Biology lessons: “We have been learning about photosynthesis, so when we visited the botanical gardens, we expanded our knowledge about plants and how they adapt to their environments.”
Reflecting on knowledge learned
Once students return from their trips, the learning experience is documented, discussed, and presented in English classes. Glenda Perks, head of English, explains how the journals created after the trip help commit the learning to memory. “The students are encouraged to take notes throughout the experience and to save mementos to help craft their journals. We encourage a creative approach to presentation, and we look for individual expression in both writing and layout. The completed journals, which students present to their teachers and classmates, provide a very clear idea of the overall impact of EOTC, and share the process of learning before, and during, the trips.”
This time spent reflecting upon, and documenting the learning during the trip helps students further appreciate the value of the experience. According to Year 8 student, Cheng Yong, “The many colorful and fascinating journals, filled with interesting recordings about the week, really captured our experience with EOTC!”
The unique, annual EOTC experience is just part of the global education students receive at YCIS Shanghai. The school’s holistic approach to education includes learning experiences that begin in the classroom, and that extend to the far-reaches of China and around the globe.
Beginning at a young age, and continuing through to Secondary, the YCIS program helps students cultivate a love of knowledge that inspires them to search for learning opportunities in all of their endeavors, creating true, lifelong learners.
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