The 4th Annual Pioneer Curriculum Professional Development Day of Shanghai Xiehe Education Group was held in Shanghai United International School Pudong Campus on the 21st September 2019. 470 Chinese and International staff from various Xiehe Campuses attended this grand event.
Mr. Benjamin Jin and Ms. Kim Sahi, Co-Principals of the school warmly welcomed all attendees. They also presented awards to all the workshop lecturers today.
The general principal of Xiehe Education Group Ms. Maxine Lu delivered the opening speech. Teaching nowadays is facing more challenges because of the changing society. The students recruited are more diversified and their abilities are laid on a normal distribution, which requires teachers to become more creative to integrate various leaning materials. With Inquiry Learning and Project-Based Learning strategies implemented, students’ potential will be better activated and a more effective way to think and to practice will be cultivated. In each campus and in each grade, students are growing in a complete system embracing high diversity, where teachers and students are developing both individually and jointly.
Keynote Speech
The keynote speaker, Madam Zhang, Principal of Shanghai World Foreign Language Primary School, is accredited as a Shanghai Elite Principal and a member of the national elite principals’ class. Madam Zhang worked as the main translator for the translation of ‘Design Make Play—Growing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators’ and edited books such as ‘Practice and Methods of Primary STEM’, and ‘Transdisciplinary PBL’. As the vice-president of Shanghai World Foreign Language Education Group, Madam Zhang is in charge of primary curriculum design, implementation and assessment.
Madam Zhang’s Keynote speech is ‘Learn like a scientist and an engineer’. She shared vivid teaching cases to illustrate seven characters of Inquiry Learning, which are Authenticity, Applied Academic learning, Academic integration, Active exploration, Adult connections, Assessment practices and Alliance between deeds and thoughts. Students are encouraged to learn as scientists, designers and engineers so that they can explore and solve problems with independent minds.
Workshop
In the afternoon, teachers met each other at 35 different workshops. The 35 workshops cover various areas of teaching and learning, curriculum, P4C and leadership. Teachers communicated with each other and all ended bringing new ideas to their work.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all guests and attendees. Your contribution has made today’s activity a wonderful day.
