Education Special: Parents cheer as students debut Robin Hood musical on stage

Booing and hissing were the orders of the day at the Beijing City International School (BCIS) on June 5. Not, as you might think, due to a cancelled holiday or an extra homework assignment, but actually the response of an enthusiastic audience to the staging of the school's first elementary school musical.

Entitled "Hoodwinked", the production saw all of the students from Grade 2 to Grade 5 take to the stage in a musical and comic re-telling of the Robin Hood legend. Their appreciative audience included a number of the students' mums and dads as well as many of the teaching staff from the school.

Julie Lawton, Elementary School Principal of BCIS, said: "It's the first time the elementary school has ever staged a musical. It's also the first time we've put on such a production that features every student from Grade 2 to Grade 5."

The occasion gave students every opportunity to show off their singing, dancing and chorus talents and to impress their parents with their dedication to their stagecraft.

Commenting on the success of the project, the principal said she believed that performing in a musical tested not only the students acting and singing skills, but also showcased the school's commitment to high educational standards and innovative teaching methodology.

She said: "We are always delighted to see our children learn to respect one another and demonstrate a true spirit of teamwork. It is great to see so many of them blossom through the rehearsals and gain the confidence to stand on stage, speaking and acting confidently and eloquently."

During the performance, many of the parents were amazed at the level of collaboration between the 230 students and their faultless rendition of so many musical numbers.

One budding performer confessed to her mother that the school's music teacher, Shanhong Hughes, never criticized the students but always encouraged them to learn from any mistakes.

Before and after the performance, parents gathered and discussed the musical over tea and biscuits, many of them also compared notes on their reasons for entrusting BCIS with their off-spring's education, a choice that will have far-reaching implications for their children's academic careers.

The mother of one Grade 5 student, Corrine Chan, said that, as a former Taiwan-based Math teacher, she had been particularly choosy when it came to selecting her daughter's school: "My daughter has been studying here for just over a year. During that time, I have been convinced that this school places a high emphasis on developing students' own interests and abilities. The teaching methods here make it very easy for students to develop."

Unique advantage

Unlike many of the other international schools in Beijing, more than 20 percent of BCIS' elementary school students are Chinese nationals. The school believes this creates "a competitive edge" and allows for a productive blending of Chinese and foreign culture.

Lawton said: "We don't want foreign students to feel they live on an 'island' and are segregated from Chinese students. We hope that this intermingling will allow all students to acquire a greater understanding of each other's cultures."

To boost this cross-cultural understanding, the school holds an "International Day" every October. This allows all the students and teachers to share their individual cultural experiences and celebrations with one another. This is a key part of the school's wider agenda of nurturing enhanced international understanding among its young charges.

Aside from its multi-cultural agenda, one of the key reasons many parents opt for BCIS is its widely-admired International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Together with the wide teaching experience of its faculty members, the IB is seen as the ideal springboard for students to further integrate themselves internationally through subsequent study abroad.

As part of its commitment to continually refining and updating its teaching program, many of its teaching staff now have the opportunity to attend professional development and develop their skills in teaching the IB program, according to the principal.

This sees the school continuously refreshing its teaching methodology and maintaining constant updates on the latest international thinking in approaches to education.

As well as going outside of the school to enhance its skill-base, the school is also keen to take on board greater local knowledge - particularly from many of its students' parents. This philosophy has seen ever-greater cooperation between teachers and parents and the development of high levels of mutual trust and support. This has been developed through a number of initiatives, including inviting parents to attend workshops about how the students learn at BCIS.

Currently, the Elementary School of BCIS has 361 students and employs 45 teachers, all of whom have gained considerable experience in teaching the IB program both in China and abroad.

Located in Shuangjing, the central business district of Beijing, the four-year-old school prides itself on its easy access for many of its students living locally. It also caters for those living more remotely through the provision of a daily shuttle bus.

(China Daily 06/15/2009 page1)