The DDP teacher is responsible for guiding students in the development of their own curriculum. They will need to form partnerships with local businesses and facilitate student learning that is self-directed within the Dual Degree Program (DDP) at Tianyi AP Center. You will work with the Center Principal to adapt, design, and implement DDP curriculum from the United States by Shattuck St. Mary’s accredited program. Personal creativity will be important as you contribute directly to the success of this cutting-edge and prestigious initiative.

More details on the role can be found here.

Background

The international center was established in 2009 and enjoys a harmonious and supportive relationship with the larger campus. This is a destination workplace for teachers looking to develop their intercultural awareness and experience of the cutting-edge curriculum.

Salary and benefits

• Competitive salary levels
• Accommodation allowance
• Annual return airfare and bonus
• Worldwide medical cover
• High disposable income

About the school

Location
Centrally located in Jiangsu Province, Wuxi is only 45 minutes from the mega-city of Shanghai to the east, and Nanjing to the west. The school campus is very attractive, with botanical gardens and sections of bamboo woodland.

Curriculum
The Dual Diploma Program (DDP) is an innovative, student-centered course designed and implemented in partnership with the prestigious Shattuck-St Mary’s school in the US. The Digital Media teacher will work within the framework of the DDP to teach theoretical and practical concepts, strategies, and techniques associated with the fields of audio, video, technology, and film.

Teachers and Staff
The education team at Wuxi Tianyi is among the most stable in Dipont’s high school program network. You will experience a supportive and extremely collegial atmosphere working here.

Wuxi campus

About you

• Able to engage and challenge high-performing students.
• Recognized teaching qualification preferred.
• Experience teaching digital production, including photography, graphic design, film production, editing, and visual communication strategies.
• Knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Animate, Photoshop, InDesign, Audition, and Dream Weaver.
• Knowledge of fundamental principles and current industry standards in mass communications and mass media production. Industry background is a plus.
• Ability to help students explore related careers and provide career guidance.
• Responsible for teaching theoretical and practical concepts, strategies, and techniques associated with the fields of audio, video, technology, and film.

About Dipont

Dipont Education has been at the forefront of international education in China for over 30 years, managing high school programs within some of the most highly regarded schools in the country. We currently employ over 400 expatriate educators and have more than 6,000 students enrolled.

Professional development begins with thorough and supportive orientation for new staff and continues as ongoing contact with experts in the field. Internal career path opportunities are open to capable and high-performing staff, with the potential to move into curricula or program management roles.

*We are committed to a thorough and complete check of the credentials of all those employed to work with children in our organization.

The post Dual Degree Program teacher appeared first on Dipont Education.

In this interview, Harry talks about teacher training, the induction process, and what makes Hangzhou DSAS a great place to develop and grow your education career.

1. What are some features of the school that make it unique?

The International School is easily one of the warmest environments I’ve worked in. Our staff have plenty of time to plan and deliver their lessons, which means we have high quality learning happening right across the school.

We’ve got very small class sizes with, on average, about 10 students per class. As a result of this smaller community, we have a very close relationship with our parents. Teachers know them by name and communicate with them on a regular basis.

This intimacy, warmth and congeniality is a palpable feeling that you can feel in your interactions with people.

This is also reflected in the student work that is displayed on walls in staff offices, classrooms, and corridors. We have a genuinely pleasant environment in which to work here.

2. In terms of teacher training, what are some areas that you find teachers need the most help with?

An area that keeps coming up is EAL provision. As we are a bilingual school, the level of English is quite diverse. While we have a big chunk of native level speakers, we also have students whose English is less advanced.

A big part of the professional life of our teachers is getting better at helping those students with the language support they need. This is an area that we continue to place time and attention on.

Finally, we have a twilight session program. During the first couple of weeks, when you are hearing about systems and policies, it can be quite overwhelming. For this reason, we have optional sessions that new teachers can attend in the latter two thirds of the first semester.

Staff can come and sit in on a very informal 45-minute presentation about the systems and operations that we have in the school. This is designed to consolidate any new information or instructions that new teachers may have missed out on in those opening couple of weeks.

4. How do you transition from induction to professional development? 

During the first half of semester, the focus for new staff, from their leadership, should be to not burden them with too much scrutiny or punitive monitoring.

Of course, if there is a major red flag, you can’t just sweep it under the table. But our teaching cohort is very solid this year – we are lucky to have some superb teachers here both in the International section and also in the school as a whole.

The approach that I advocate is to give new teachers every opportunity to get their feet under the table, to feel comfortable and at home. More often than not, that will be the biggest conduit to helping them do well in the classroom.

It is not always easy to transition into a new position in a school. Parents often compare the incoming teacher to the previous teacher, and sometimes that can create unreasonable expectations.

We want new teachers to feel supported by their managers through challenges like this. That can be a powerful message for the rest of the staff, and really permeate the culture of the school.

Feeling trusted and supported can really help teachers to adapt to their new work environment in the best possible way.

5. Why should a teacher in China choose to move to Hangzhou to work at Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science?

Hangzhou itself is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in China. In addition to this, our campus is young enough to still feel state of the art.

Another advantage is our relative maturity. As we enter our fifth year, we’ve gone through those teething problems that a lot of the new startup schools often have. We have gotten to the stage where we have established practices, and established routines.

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

The staff and school community here is very warm and congenial. Many of our expat staff have not been home for the best part of three years. As a leadership team, and as a school, to try to fill that void a little bit.

Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science has a comprehensive welfare program. This includes flexible half days a couple of times a semester. We also have a social calendar that has two social functions for the whole staff to attend every month.

We are always trying to create the feeling of “a home away from home” as best we can.

Finally, continuing education is an important part of the school’s culture. I’m just about to finish an NPQH, which the school have supported me in. Other people in the school are doing Masters or PGCEs. In many cases that have been assisted financially in completing these courses.

We invite great teachers to join us, and we want them to grow with us. We want them to enjoy working at this wonderful school, and become the best they can be with us.

The post Professional Life at Kings appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here Jenny Stones, English Subject Leader talks about cross cultural collaboration, meeting parent needs, and the challenges and opportunities of developing a fusion of Western and Chinese pedagogies.

Moving to China during the height of COVID was a pretty bold move. What was your inspiration?

The bold move was moving to Russia after being a teacher for 13 years in the UK. When the opportunity arose to move to China, having spent two years in Russia I thought, why not!

Jenny, seen here enjoying the Northern Lights in the Murmansk region, worked as Deputy Head of School in Russia for two years before moving to China in 2021.

What have you learnt about collaborating across cultures through your time in Russia and now China?

I really enjoy meeting new people, and learning about the norms and values of others. Part of this has been learning that it is important to take into account cultural variation when it comes to education and national curriculums. I have had to adapt my perception of pedagogy and expectations of education to meet the needs of very different communities.

A big part of Jenny’s job is taking into consideration the needs of all stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers and school administrators.

By speaking to local people and other teachers cross-collaboratively I am always enriching my own knowledge. That’s what I felt in Russia, and that’s what I feel here.

What are some of the challenges of developing and implementing a fusion of Western and Chinese pedagogies?

The challenge for teachers trained in a Western context is that Chinese children learn differently. They prefer lessons as lectures, reading for information and completing textbooks. Teachers from the UK often use a range of strategies to cater for different learning styles, have very creative approaches and enjoy a lot more hands on practical teaching. Not all children in China enjoy that, or are used to it, or can adapt to that.

Small changes to the learning environment, including flexible seating and supportive working walls, lead to positive outcomes and pupil progress. An example of flexible seating is seen here in a class taught by Natasa Francis, head of Grade 1 -3 English at Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Sciences.

The challenge for a teacher can be that mind shift from working as creatively as they did before to working in a more structured style. The challenge is to come up with a new, innovative way of teaching, using a textbook, while integrating their own personality into that.

Parents in China can be particularly attentive about learning outcomes for their children. How does this factor in to your work?

You need to try to explain to parents that teaching is a reflective and reactive process. By having clear learning objectives and rigorous assessment procedures, you are teaching the whole child, not just a curriculum. Being clear and transparent about what is being taught, how it is assessed and what will be done to help children progress allows parents to trust the process. They need to know that their child is a part of that process and will get there eventually.

Visiting schools to discuss and strategize ways to support students using the new curriculum while earning the trust of their parents has been a significant part of the CCC’s team work over the past six months.

Here in China we’ve got children at different levels of English, and parents with high expectations. They want their child in the top set. However,  if they don’t have the language ability and you put them in the top set, they can’t actually access the content.

The solution is to create a rigorous, effective curriculum that can be understood by prospective parents. This is what can gain their trust. A written framework that explains what to expect is important in that process.

How do you see the effect of this curriculum project on student well-being?

I can’t speak for all parents, but most parents who send their children to private schools are wanting the best outcomes for their children and, in some cases, children are being pushed far too much. The government is trying to stop this pressure on children by putting policies in place to improve pupil well-being. That includes the closure of many after school cram centres, for example.

In some of our schools, we set pupils and in some there are mixed ability classes. Setting is a contentious issue. Depending on which side of the fence you sit, it can be successful or the opposite.

Observing classes, such as this example from Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Sciences, helps Jenny’s team to notice and integrate the ideas, skills and techniques of Dipont teachers into the curricula they are developing.

What can you do to best manage your classes if there are these differences in language ability?

In the UK, setting children is rare, because you end up with a class of children who are low ability or disruptive. With this in mind, you try and distribute children evenly. In China you often find that children have got very different language abilities in one class. In this case it’s not that you are separating pupils because of their cognitive ability. Instead, there’s a need to organize your lessons based on ability to access the curriculum. Academic language that is pitched too high can move some pupils forward while holding others back – a balance is needed.

Close attention to individual student needs, and embedding the capacity to adjust curriculum delivery to accommodate variance in English ability, has been a delicate but vital part of the curriculum development process.

You need to support students in their learning by making sure that they’ve got the language foundation they need. In a lot of ways this lies at the heart of our work. How can we improve the communicative ability of our children so that they make the most progress with the curriculum?

How do you go about encouraging teachers to use the new curriculum?

We spent a lot of time in schools prior to the writing of the schemes of work. This was when we were getting to understand everybody, so we could try to meet everyone’s needs. The launch was just before the start of this academic year. Now we are going into schools to do follow up observations and check on how the curriculum is being used.

Leanne Grundy, Director of Education for the Dipont Schools Programme, leads a teacher workshop at Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science.

We came away from our first visit really positive. When we first introduced this idea of working from a textbook, we were met with a lot of resistance. But the feedback that we’ve had is that there are creative opportunities in the enrichment that we have provided. We have also been told that the new schemes of work are exciting for the children. It gives the children a formula that they can trust and feel safe using.

As we work closely with schools, we encourage feedback and integrate the professional experience and suggestions of teachers. This way we keep improving on our work – making it fit for purpose. That’s what our team is all about: going in and finding out what’s needed.

What would you say to encourage other curriculum experts to join your team?

I really like it here. I enjoy working with my colleagues. They are always willing to help, and we support each other. I’m working with Chinese, English, Canadians, and people from all around the world. The scope of the collaboration is tremendous. It’s a great environment to work on a project as challenging and impactful as ours.

The post Developing cutting edge curriculum in China appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here Nuala reflects on her time working with Dipont, including her experience of 21^st– century learning, harmonious bilingual education, and shaping the future of student well-being in China.

What has been the most memorable thing for you about working for Dipont?

Dipont has contributed a lot to my educational development and growth, so it is hard to choose what to mention. I joined the company in 2017, and I have never looked back. Dipont has a very ‘can do’ approach. The company acknowledges the value of trying new ideas and thoughts and learning from mistakes to move forwards.

My experience has included teacher training, curriculum writing, textbook writing, developing and delivering professional development, academic quality management, coaching and mentoring.

If I must choose one experience to highlight, it was developing and creating a teacher training course for bilingual teachers. I felt this particular aspect of my work was the most rewarding. I also developed strong friendships with the very first cohort of teacher trainees.

Which achievements are you most proud of from your time with Dipont?

Working with teachers in Dipont’s Independent schools, building strong relationships and working collaboratively with teams to view teaching and learning from different perspectives.

I truly enjoyed sharing early learning theories and approaches with new early years teachers. It was enlightening and encouraging to see teachers embrace theories of play, child development, SEN and observe them applying these theories through the early year’s national standards.

It is always encouraging when your audience takes the time to send an email of appreciation as well as photographs to show how they apply the theory in their learning environments. Those occasions make me proud and make the job worthwhile, but even more so when it is clear that the children benefit most from the experiences.

What challenges do you see in creating a harmonious bilingual working environment in schools?

Most parents want their children to engage in learning a new language. The challenge can be finding the balance between the use of the native language and the new language. The learner’s mother tongue and local culture have to be valued.

Language and communication are strongly linked with identity and emotional development. For this to happen, there must be mutual respect between all parties. Supporting the native language through communication and literacy development is essential for academic achievement. Sharing thoughts and school policy on the bilingual approach can help diminish challenges as they arise.

How has Dipont changed over the last five years?

There is more of an understanding and recognition of the importance of developing 21^st Century skills such as collaboration, cooperation, creativity, questioning, use of technology, active and project-based learning.

I’ve always felt that Dipont is a pioneer in the field of education in China, introducing these skills through its teacher training, support in schools and provision of high-quality professional development. We are now reaping the benefits if the training we started five years ago. That has been very satisfying.

What progress have you made regarding student well-being and pastoral care in the past five years?

Firstly, I believe that kindness, understanding and passion for your learners are essential. When working with people of all ages, we do not know what emotions, troubles, and burdens they bring to school daily. Therefore, I believe that PSHE (Personal Social Health Economics) education should weave into every aspect of our daily teaching.

We need to allow learners opportunities to share, discuss, collaborate and cooperate, but we also need to develop their sense of empathy and teach both teacher and learner to empathise. Teaching is no longer about purely academic achievement. It is about viewing all aspects of learning holistically. This approach helps children to experience joy in learning.

All our teachers are required to undertake safeguarding training. Our teachers are fantastic at coming up with innovative and caring ways to care for our learners’ wellbeing in safe, warm, caring, and holistic environments, both indoors and outdoors. Some examples include

• Development of sensory gardens
• Friend spot in the playground- a child, can go here if looking for a friend with whom to play.
• A reflection area- a quiet space to calm down, be quiet, be reflective.
• A safe environment for letting off steam

I know we’ve made a difference when I see a four-year-old child approaching another child and wiping away their tears.

What would you say to encourage a professional educator like yourself to leave their home country, journey to China, and work for Dipont?

You are better equipped to educate learners about various cultures when you have truly experienced a culture by living within it. By sharing cultural experiences, children learn about diversity and become culturally aware, have better social skills, increase confidence and are often more accepting of people who are different from themselves.

China is a beautiful place in which to work. Dipont offers various opportunities for those willing to embrace all that China and its learners have to offer. Come with an open mind and a willingness to make a difference, and you will be enriched by the experience.

The post Education in China: Five years at the frontline appeared first on Dipont Education.

After graduating with a Masters Degree in International Business in 2019, Damon had dreams of becoming a high-flying businessman, living a James Bond life of travel, high stakes, and make or break conversations.

Then he became a businessman.

Here Damon talks about how he is learning again, after making the journey from university to the classroom, and how Dipont’s Teaching Fellows program gave him a new perspective on his career potential.\

1. What made you change your career direction from business to education?

After I graduated I went to a job fair and got a lot of offers from companies. I also got an invite from Dipont Huayao Collegiate School, Kunshan.

I wasn’t sure about being a teacher at that point. So I joined a Chinese top 500 company in Ningbo, as a businessman.

When I started in the company, I found that it can be a really dull life. I had thought that being a businessman would be very fun. I could travel the world, meet lots of interesting people, and earn a lot of money. It wasn’t like that.

You just do orders, and go to factories. Besides that, during the pandemic it was really hard to do international trips. So I decided to change my career plan.

2. How has your life changed from being a student to being a teacher?

As a student you always think about yourself. You have fun, and then you have a class, then go and have fun again. But a teacher has more responsibility.

You have to always think about your students. You have to think about how to make your lesson plan more attractive, and about if you should be stricter with your students, or less strict. Even during weekends and holidays I find myself thinking about how to improve my classes. The students take up your life!

3. What are some things that you have learnt from the Teaching Fellows (TF) program?

The TF program is really good to start off your career as a teacher. You don’t have to do much lesson planning, but you can learn from the teachers. You have the chance to observe their classes, and how they plan their lessons.

You also spend a lot of time with your students, so you learn a lot about how to manage their behavior, as well as your relationship with them. It is a bit the same with parents and colleagues. You learn a lot about working with others.

4. What subjects do you teach now that you are a full-time teacher?

For English Maths I teach grade 1 5. For Chinese students I teach grade 1 to 3. It’s not so difficult, as elementary level maths is quite basic, but some questions can be tricky.

When you are doing your lesson plan, actually, you are learning again, because you need to refresh your memory about the topics, and you have a different perspective. Previously, as a student, you just learnt the knowledge. As a teacher, you need to think about how you can help your kids gain the knowledge.

5. What has been your biggest achievement at this early stage in your teaching career?

I have improved a lot in how I deliver my lessons. I am more confident now. The first time I stood up to teach I was very nervous. Actually I had the textbook, but I didn’t know which activities I should do with my students. It was really scary.

Now I am very confident. Even though I have a broader range of classes this year, like Grade 1, or Grade 4, I’m not scared. I can think about the activities I need to use, and I know what reactions to expect. I am a more sophisticated teacher now.

6. What advice would you give to someone else starting out in their teaching career?

You need to have a very clear career plan. You need to have the confidence to ask questions, as you will find most other teachers are very happy to help. Most importantly, don’t wait for someone to push you. You need to push yourself.

The post Teaching Fellows Program: Learning Again appeared first on Dipont Education.

For the capable, the creative, and those dedicated to making a difference to the lives of Chinese students, there are a host of options to pursue at the next level. Introducing English Teaching 2.0: Beyond ESL.

“I give you an onion”

In a bright, modern classroom in Chengdu a semi-circle of students watch, curiously, as a teacher turns an onion over in his hands, then says:

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

This is not a cooking class. Simon Lee, Head of English at Dipont KCS Chengdu, is reciting Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy, a contemporary Scottish poet whose work is ideally suited to contemporary English instruction in China today.

Unlocking Nuance in Literature

Duffy’s use of irony and juxtaposition delights the reader through surprise and effects a reappraisal of the topic at hand. So, too, Mr. Lee is able to guide his students to a deeper, subtler, understanding of how communication and context intersect in any language. The class continues in discussion of the themes and suggestions embedded in the image of the onion, culminating in students producing their own versions of the text.

As Mr. Lee says: “We aim to not only help pupils have confidence expressing themselves in written and spoken communication, but also to really understand communication from others.”Moving away from the single, structural model available in textbooks, Mr. Lee believes that the study of literature helps students to become excellent communicators and listeners, better equipped to negotiate and wield language as it is used in daily life.

Honing Self-Expression Through Debate

In addition to teaching English Literature, Simon Lee also leads an Extracurricular Activity (ECA) in debate. As an experienced debater himself, Mr. Lee is a strong advocate for how debate can help students express themselves clearly, reason effectively and even persuade others.

As he says: “Debating focuses on logic, critical thinking and self-expression. Any education system or curriculum that does not depend on these fundamentals is incomplete. Debating is the opportunity to think and then test what you think. 

“I am sure when you ask the Head of Maths, or the Head of Science or any other department in the school whether logic, critical thinking and communication are important in their subject – they would all say ‘Yes’.”

Debate also sharpens the ability of students to evaluate the merit of the opinions of others, a communicative tool that will be a benefit for the rest of their lives. While Mr. Lee prepares students for competitive debate in the future, win or lose, it is this skill for recognizing logic, utilizing critical thought, and honing self-expression that will be the ultimate legacy of their time in the debate classroom.

More than Language Learning

At Dipont KCS Chengdu, English classes are about much more than language learning and acquisition. Teachers like Simon Lee use literature and debate to create an innovative and stimulating learning environment for their students, stepping away from textbooks and into the realm of language as it is used in the real world, in all its nuance and native complexity. In so doing, he is playing his part in the development of the next generation of powerful, confident communicators.

As a teacher, it doesn’t get better than this.

If you have experience teaching English at primary, middle or high school level, we have positions open for an August 2022 start in our schools and partner schools right across China. 

The post Beyond ESL: English teaching 2.0. appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here Ally talks about her time in the Dipont team, and how the bilingual education landscape has evolved in recent years.

What attracted you to join Dipont?

First, the headquarters are in Shanghai. Before, I worked in Guangdong. They say the education revolution in Shanghai is 4.0, while in Guangdong we are still doing 3.0, so I wanted to work in Shanghai!

I also knew that Dipont was a mature company with a lot of experienced staff, so I thought it would be a good place to develop myself professionally. I had also heard that it was a very multicultural company that treated employees well, so that attracted me as well.

What was your role at headquarters?

I worked as Primary Academic Manager. I visited schools to observe lessons and do QAs, and coach teachers. That gave me a good idea of how the different schools work. We also worked on integrating national and western curricula for Grades 1-6. The material we made is still being used now!

▲ Ally’s current role is Head of Grade at RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou

What are the unique challenges of working in a bilingual team?

Most expat teachers come from a background focused more on encouraging inquiry-based learning, and teaching students as lifelong learners. However, our local teachers also need to focus on short-term outcomes, to show the school, the local education bureau, and the parents the progress of the students. So the long- and short-term goals can sometimes be in conflict.

An example of this is assessment. Local teachers are focused on summative assessment so that they can communicate with parents better with data, while expat teachers consider formative assessment as being more important. They think we should communicate more about students learning habits and so on, rather than on marks, or levels. Because expat teachers don’t have as much direct contact with parents, they sometimes may not be aware of the parent’s perspective or of the pressure local teachers are under to show results.

On the other hand, the expat teacher’s philosophy also impacts on local teacher’s vision of education. Although we argue quite often we are always able to understand each other eventually. This can help everyone grow and become more flexible and adaptive. We learn from each other all the time.

You often hear expat teachers say: “The parents don’t know what their kids need, we know what they need!” How do you deal with that statement?

I think Hangzhou is unique in that, even in one class, there is a lot of diversity in the backgrounds of parents. Some of them have studied abroad, and all of them are very successful in their own career paths. I would say sometimes we can learn from the parents.

I always say to expat teachers that, not only can we learn from each other, but if we listen to parents maybe we can also get a better understanding of what they need, and what our school can do for students. Even though we are professional in teaching, there are always ways that we can improve.

▲ At Dipont, Ally has worked in supportive and close-knit multicultural teams

In your career, what changes have you noticed in international education?

Five or 10 years ago, or even still now in other schools, I think local teachers were considered simply as support to expat teachers. But at Dipont there is more of an understanding that expat and local teachers need to work together as equals to achieve the best results.

At Hangzhou this awareness makes people think in a more independent way because everyone can recognize themselves as great teachers. It’s not that only expat teachers are great or local teachers are great. Both of us are great. We consider each other as peers, or partners, instead of “I’m an assistant to you” or “You are an assistant to me”.

How have you developed professionally in your time with Dipont?

I’ve been lucky to work with great people, both at head office and here in Hangzhou. I’ve learnt a lot from high-level education professionals like Peter Derby-Crook and, before him, John Birchall. Working at head office really gave me a bigger vision of how we, as educators, can make changes for education in China.

Working at Hangzhou I’ve become better at communicating, and I’ve always felt like I’ve had support and guidance. Everyone is so transparent and willing to share their thinking and their resources. We can talk to anybody we want to, about support, how we can improve in our roles, or even how we can get to the next step in our careers. There is a lot of cooperation and empathy here, I’ve found.

▲ Ally feels she has become better at communicating since joining Dipont

What skills do you need to succeed at Dipont?

Be confident. Always try to communicate, instead of hiding, because everyone will listen to you if you want to be heard. Be open-minded. Be courageous. Have the courage to make mistakes and learn from them. Be bold, and you will be rewarded. That’s always been my experience!

What would you say to a Chinese education professional to encourage them to join us?

Dipont is a great company to work for. It is stable yet dynamic in its vision for education in China. Working here is challenging, but rewarding also. Dipont really cares about its staff. This is a great place to grow your skills and advance your career.

If you would like to follow in Ally’s footsteps, you can start by heading to our careers section to learn about Chinese Bilingual Teaching positions open for an August 2022 start.

The post Meet Ally Chen: A bilingual success story appeared first on Dipont Education.

Lili Ma is the Director of Curriculum Design and Development, Grades 1 – 9, based in the headquarters of Dipont Education in Shanghai, China. She has worked with the company for more than 12 years and has a wealth of experiences, memories and achievements from this time.

Here she talks about why she loves working for Dipont, the changing landscape of education in China and an exciting opportunity to join her team.

You’ve been working with Dipont for a long time. What has kept you here?

Dipont is a very innovative company. Every year I can embrace new ideas, which means I’m always studying, learning, improving, and creating. I can always learn from different people from different programs. I think that’s the thing I love about working with Dipont the most.

What is your team currently working on?

The Dipont Institute of Education is structured into two departments. My department is focused on Grade 1 to Grade 9, so Primary and Lower Secondary, while the other department is focused on Grade 10 and above, so High School. The overall goal for both departments is to continuously improve and support the teaching and learning in our schools.

In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced new policies related to compulsory education. Specific standards and examinations have always been a part of the Chinese National Curriculum (CNC). The big change is that now all schools must integrate these standards into their own curriculum. An example of this is the zhongkao, an important examination that students take in Grade 9. We now need to prepare our students in the years leading up to this important exam in addition to our existing curricula.

Our goal is to enhance teaching and learning through the development of integrated curriculum standards and educational resources. The integrated curricula are designed based on both CNC standards and western educational practice. The material we make needs to be in English and Chinese. That’s why we are currently recruiting more Chinese staff, and are also looking for expat education professionals to join our team.

▲ Lili’s team works to enhance teaching and learning in Dipont schools

You are recruiting for a Primary Academic Manager to join your team. Apart from strong subject knowledge and related experience, what personality traits will you be looking for in applicants?

You have to be very open-minded and flexible and have a growth mindset. You need to have very good communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and especially cross-cultural skills. Because this position is not only about writing the curriculum in the office, it is also about communicating with teachers.

When you create and integrate a new curriculum in schools, you are actually challenging people’s mindsets and habits, which can be very difficult. So I would say that interpersonal and cross-cultural skills are very important.

What would be the unique challenges of this position?

Most teachers already work in schools, but the surroundings in the headquarters are very different, as is the routine, and pace of working. We have important deadlines to work towards as a team, and this way of working can be quite different from being only responsible for your students and your classroom.

When it comes to creating an integrated curriculum, it may be more challenging for expat staff than it is for Chinese staff. Everyone can always learn more about new standards and new methodologies. But expat teachers may need to learn more about the Chinese national standards, and the government requirements, as they wouldn’t have the same educational experiences as their Chinese colleagues. So this aspect may be quite challenging.

▲ Dipont HQ offers a stimulating working environment and incredible views

In your opinion, what is the most attractive thing about this position?

Everyone has their own passion. I would say, if you have always been a teacher, you may like to gain a new perspective on education. And if you are someone who likes to learn, study, research and create, then curriculum development would be a very good chance to do these things. It would give you a chance to explore your subject area very deeply, and to create something that integrates best practices in Chinese and western education. That is something that would be very attractive. At least it is for me!

If you are interested in joining Lili’s team as a Primary Academic Manager, please visit the job vacancy for more information and to apply.

The post Meet Lili Ma: curriculum visionary appeared first on Dipont Education.

1972. Mao Zedong was the Great Chairman, presiding over a China poised to make the greatest leap forward of modern times. In the US, the Space Shuttle was a distant concept, while the war in Vietnam raged on.

Meanwhile, in a small city in Pakistan, a youthful Syed Mozammil Ahsan began his teaching career.

He has been teaching ever since.

Mr. Ahsan’s career in education has taken him to many places, from his native Pakistan to Nigeria, then to Brunei and finally on to China. He has taught A-level Chemistry for an astonishing 40 years.

For the last 9 years, he has been a mainstay of the Dipont international high school program at Hangzhou Foreign Languages School, teaching chemistry to scores of students who, along with many colleagues over the years, have admired his knowledge, valued his patience, and sought to emulate his fine example.

“I’m still improving every day”

By his own admission, Mr. Ahsan’s first years as a teacher were stressful and unsuccessful. Responding quickly and effectively to student questions was a particular burden, and he spent late nights researching, trying to find a better way.

His solution was to seek advice from peers, and this practice has been a constant throughout his long career. Even now he is ready to consult with other teachers to seek out ways to improve the teaching of a certain knowledge point, or better understand the needs of students.

In Nigeria, a colleague shared a saying with him that has stayed with him ever since: “Knowledge is one thing, but how to pass it on is more important.”

Mr. Ahsan’s many years in the classroom have not diminished his belief in the importance of continual improvement.

As he says: “I’m not a perfect teacher. I’m still improving every day. You have to have a desire to learn from others. That what I have been doing for my entire career”

Not every class is perfect

In China especially, teachers tend to be viewed as infallible sources of knowledge and a target of special reverence. However, in Mr. Ashan’s view, a teacher is also an ordinary person. Every class is not perfect, but all mistakes can be a source of learning.

Rather than waiting for feedback from others, Mr. Ahsan reflects on every class he teaches. This is a habit of mind that he encourages in his students and peers. Intuition, following your gut, recognizing that some activity could have gone better, or that some instruction could have been clearer, is key to this practice

In Mr. Ahsan’s view, this habit of mind can improve a student’s ability to deal with mistakes. Dissatisfaction is not a bad thing when paired with the thought: “I didn’t do well today, but I will do better tomorrow.”

The modesty of a great teacher

When called upon to speak at graduation ceremonies, Mr. Ahsan often quotes the following line from the Lebanese poet, Khalil Gibran:

“Education does not sow seeds in your mind, it grows them.”

His lasting message to students on graduation day is always that “knowledge, leadership, and character are the three most vital things in life.”

Over the last 50 years, there have been many, many students to hear these words and benefit from Mr. Ahsan’s fine example. Aside from all his wonderful traits as an educator, it is the unlikely modesty of one who has achieved so much that persists in the mind.

“My happiest moment is when the graduates come back to school and knock on the door to say hello to me,” says Mr. Ahsan, summing up what gives him joy as a teacher. “It makes me feel recognized for my efforts and gives me more motivation.”

Dipont Education heartily congratulates Syed Mohammad Ahsan for the tremendous milestone of 50 years in education. Every colleague, every student, and every parent is grateful for his tremendous contribution.

Working alongside colleagues with such experience, kindness and professionalism will make you a better teacher.

Visit our careers section to review teacher vacancies in our international high school programs across our impressive network of partner schools.

The post A celebration of 50 years in education appeared first on Dipont Education.