Easily one the most eagerly anticipated programmes by Yew Chung International School of Beijing students are the World Classroom and Experiencing China trips. These highly immersive field trips are an extension of our experiment- and project-based learning and highlight the effectiveness of our education model. In this edition of YCIS Beijing Rewind, we look back at the journeys our lucky students took this year and the powerful impact these lessons made on them. 

Experiencing Real China

A common occurrence among expats is to unintentionally live almost exclusively in what is referred to as an “expat bubble.” Despite living abroad, families understandably gravitate to what is already culturally familiar and miss out on experiencing the richness and diversity of their new home. To ensure our students have a deep appreciation for their new country as well as have the opportunity to utilize their Chinese language skills in real-world situations, students are taken to culturally significant locations throughout China multiple times during the school year. For our Primary School students, trips to Beijing’s historical landmarks such as Tiananmen Square, exploring Beijing’s famous hutongs, and attending various cultural workshops, such as shadow puppet plays, ensure that our students become immersed in their language studies and are able to fully appreciate the scope of their studies. Upper Primary and Secondary School students are given the opportunity escape the hustle and bustle of Beijing through journeys throughout greater China. This year’s trips to Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, and Huang Shan allowed students a glimpse into the rich culture and traditions of China’s minorities, take part in charity work, and admire the beautifully epic and diverse terrain that make up China.

Making the World Our Classroom

Dr. Betty Chan, Director of the Yew Chung Education Foundation, developed the concept of the World Classroom in the 1990s. By 2000, the first World Classroom Programme was implemented in the Yew Chung International School – Hong Kong. The World Classroom is now an established part of the curriculum of Yew Chung International Schools with students and teachers from each school joining together as part of the Yew Chung family. This year, our Secondary School students travelled to Brazil and Argentina, Barcelona, and the United States. Getting to learn about such diverse and rich countries offers students the opportunity to increase their awareness and understanding of other cultures as well as hone their critical thinking ability. The programme helps prepare students to become productive citizens by developing their cross-cultural knowledge, skills, and attitudes on their way to becoming true global citizens.

Experiencing China and World Classroom trips offer what no book can ever instil: first-hand knowledge coupled with real world experiences that not only open a student’s mind, but also reinforce the idea that despite coming from different locations, we are all linked together as members of a single global society.

To learn more about Yew Chung International School of Beijing’s Experiencing China and World Classroom programmes, please follow the link. For the latest Yew Chung International School of Beijing news and updates, please click here.