SPORTS> Beijing in Preparation
Schools offer lesson in Olympic spirit
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-06-02 06:16

Energetic competitors show their talents and skills on the stage, passionate spectators shout and wave their hands, there are informative questions and answers... No, its not Super Girls, but rather an Olympic volunteers' competition at Beijing No 9 senior middle school.

As one of the Olympic education model schools in Beijing, the school has held a series of activities to spread Olympic knowledge and spirit among the students.

Through such colourful events, the students are looking forward to their first home Olympic Games in 2008 more than ever.

"I feel very honoured that the Olympic Games will be held on my home soil," said Ji Li, a grade 2 student, who won the competition by speaking fluent English on the stage.

"If I can be a real volunteer during the 2008 Games, I will be very happy and will try my best to offer efficient services. If I can't, I will still try to make my own contribution outside the venues," Ji added.

Besides the No 9 middle school, a group of primary and middle schools in Beijing has started to involve more and more Olympic related classes and activities into their regular teaching.

At Huajiadi Experimental Primary School, you will find yourselves walking in a "mini United Nations" as all the classrooms are named after countries, such as Canada, Greece, Italy and Australia, which will take part in the Games.

The students have compiled information about these countries' customs and the sports that they are good at, which can be found on blackboards, display boards and the school website.

On last year's Children's Day, they also held a mini Olympic Games and an organizing committee with eight departments was set up.

Wang Suning, a grade 5 student was named "executive president" of the committee and the 11-year-old young girl has set her eyes on the real Olympic Games.

"Although I will be only 13 years old in 2008 and too young to qualify as a volunteer for the Games, I hope to be a guide for foreign tourists to make my own contribution to the Beijing Games," said Wang.

Olympic education also has helped improve the teaching system of the physical education classes in some schools.

The Guangqumen Middle School has developed a new teaching system, called "buffet dinner sports selective classes."

"We conducted a survey beforehand to know what events students are interested in," said Xing Ying, a teacher in Guangqumen Middle School. "At present we have various PE classes, covering sports ranging from swimming and taekwondo to street dancing.

"Students can choose different sports according to their own interests and physical condition but not to their different classes or grades. This is the first system of its kind in China's middle schools."

The system is appreciated by the students.

"Even though we are approaching the college-entrance examinations, we still enjoy two PE classes each week for us," said Duan Fei, a third-year student of the school.

Some other schools have cut the PE classes off the curricular for the graduating senior high class.

"After the exercise, we feel that we can study more efficiently," said Duan.

As promised by Liu Qi, president of the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), an Olympic educational programme will have covered 400 million youths and teenagers in China by the time the Beijing Olympic Games open.

Last December 20 primary and middle schools were selected as Olympic Education Model Schools by BOCOG. According to BOCOG, under the scheme, these schools are required to hold two classes every month on Olympic education, using textbooks prepared by BOCOG.

Last month, a special education school in the city's Dongcheng District was also named the Model School.

"Beijing is the first Olympic host city that has launched an Olympic Education Model School programme," said Yang Zhicheng, an official from BOCOG, who is in charge of the promotion of the programme.

"These young students, who can understand the Olympic spirit and achieve a balanced development of mind, will and body, will be a great education legacy for China," said Yang.

Yang said that before 2008, the number of the Model Schools will reach 200 in Beijing and 300 in other parts of the country.

(China Daily 06/02/2006 page5)