It was teachers being students again at House of Knowledge from Nov.16th to 17th. Two days of professional development had our educators from the Shunyi and Chaoyang campus discuss, reflect and role-play. What are common challenges in the Early Years classroom? How can teachers communicate more effectively among each other? How can parent involvement be improved when children face difficulties? These and other topics were covered in workshops by Farshad Danicek and Hui Lv from the Program Development department.

Elementary teachers focused on planning their classes for the next term. Doris Hanna, Principal, and Qingqing Wei, Chinese Principal, provided hands-on guidance to all teachers across the Elementary school. Learning goals based on the Ren Jiao Ban and the Common Core was translated into weekly plans. This exercise also helped prepare for the coming Elementary exams as it defines what students should learn during each term. After the exams, all parents will be invited for parent-teacher meetings in January to discuss the development reports for their child.

A special part of the two training days was reserved for experts from LIH Olivia’s Place, a well-known institution in Beijing in the field of child development and counselling. Ms. Brittany, a certified speech pathologist explained how educators can communicate more effectively in conflict situations. Child psychologist Dr. Lynn Turner shared her experience in teacher-parent communication in the U.K. and China.

The professional development days were part of the plan to further raise academic quality at House of Knowledge. Asked about the purpose of all those workshops and lectures, Doris Hanna said: “A shared approach to teaching among all educators, clear learning goals and regular evaluations are crucial for the long-term success of students.”

 

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