Presented by Brendan Law, Executive Principal, this will be a great chance for you to learn about their approach to teaching and learning, while also having the chance to speak directly with key representatives from the school.

Speakers at the event include the following:

Stefan Sjodin,  Head of Secondary School

Stefan is a career educator with a wealth of experience in education leadership. In his presentation Stefan will introduce the many Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers there are at DSAS/KCIS.

CPD is a vital component of any school. These initiatives at DSAS are designed according to teacher preferences and needs with the goal of realizing their mission: to be a learning community aspiring to excellence.

Amy Loveday-Hu, Head of Kindergarten

Amy will share her wealth of knowledge in early years when talking about laying solid foundations for lifelong learning.  She strongly believes that initial school experiences are a particularly sensitive and important period for every child. In this must-see presentation

Amy will share her ideas on how key social and emotional skills are developed during these vital years. As she says, “Our goal of ‘fostering confident young learners’ takes us on exciting collaborative journeys every day.  What we do makes a difference, throughout children’s school careers.”

Yin Xie, Pastoral Assistant Head for the Lower Secondary School & Sophia Morling, Pastoral Assistant Head for the Primary School

Sophia and Yin share a deep dedication to student well-being, and will co-host a presentation on Pastoral Care at DSAS/KCIS. As Sophia says, “As educators, it is our duty to ensure the physical, social and emotional welfare of our pupils”.

The ideal of a fair, kind and responsible community lies at heart of the DSAS culture. Sophia and Yin look forward to talking about the school’s innovative and responsive pastoral care initiatives.

Magdi Elsayad, Head of ICT, Director of Co-Curricular Activities

Magdi has combined his passion for technology with his role as Director of co-curricular activities by introducing tech-related programs such as 3D printing to an already abundant and diverse roster.

He looks forward to sharing his ideas on the value of co-curricular activities, including how the fields of student interest are developing as technology becomes ever-more embedded in our lives.

Coco Fan, Director of Teaching and Learning (G1 – 9)

Coco has taught a broad range of grades and ages in her over twenty years’ experience in education. She will share her thoughts on the current state of education development in China.

Her presentation will be about blending Chinese Bilingual Curriculum with best international pedagogical practices, a stimulating and timely topic in tune with the evolving teaching and learning landscape in China.

Mike Hindle, Head of King’s College International School

Mike is a vastly experienced educational leader. He firmly believes that learning should be engaging, challenging and rewarding, and that every student has the capacity to excel. Mike  will draw from his broad experience to talk about overcoming cultural and language boundaries in a happy international community.

As Mike says, “Happy children learn better, whatever their cultural heritage and background. By celebrating the diversity of our school community we can joyfully prepare all our students for their future lives.”

Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science educates students to be well-rounded, innovative and collaborative individuals. It’s goal is to help students to appreciate their own, and others, cultures and traditions.

The school was founded with the strong support of the Wuxi local government, and through a partnership between two world-leading schools – Nanjing Foreign Language School, China and King’s College School, Wimbledon, UK.

The post Wuxi Dipont online recruitment open day appeared first on Dipont Education.

Image by armennano from Pixabay

You could think of the Qixi Festival as the Chinese Valentines Day, but the legend behind it is far older, more complicated, and definitely more fantastic than its Western counterpart. Think Romeo and Juliet meets Die Hard, set partially in outer space, and you will have some idea of the scope of this sensational narrative.

Here is a summary of a love story that is written in the stars, as well as some tips on what to do and what to eat during the Qixi Festival.

Scene 1 – Lonely Farmer

Niu Lang is a lowly male cowherd whose best friend is a talking cow. The cow regularly gives him color (i.e. berates him) about not being married yet.

A fringe benefit of being a cowherd is that you are always not far from a pond. Image by Suman Maharjan from Pixabay

Scene 2 – Seven Sisters hit the Pond

One warm, sultry evening Niu Lang hears the sound of seven young and beautiful women playing and splashing about naked in a pond. They are actually sisters, princess daughters of the Sky King and Queen, including the most beautiful and beloved of them all, the very beautiful Zhi Nu.

Zhi Nu, the goddess of weaving and knitting, was said to be responsible for making the clouds of heaven. Photo by Christophe Van der waals on Unsplash

Niu Lang, peering through the reeds in fear and ecstasy, is convinced by the cow to steal their wings and clothes from the shoreline. All but one of the celestial sisters escape. Niu Lang captures Zhi Nu.

Scene 3 – Sky Monarchs on the Fury Road

The Sky King and Queen learn about Zhi Nu’s fate and are furious. They dispatch Sky Soldiers to retrieve her.

If you abduct the favorite daughter of the Sky King and Queen, there will be consequences. Photo by Garth Manthe on Unsplash

Scene 4 – Happy Family

Years have passed. Niu Lang has now married Zhi Nu with the cow as best man, and they have two kids. They are very happy together. This ends on the night that the Sky Soldiers come and re-abduct Zhi Nu and take her back to the Heavens.

Scene 5 – That’s what friends are for

Niu Lang is devastated to find his wife gone. The cow tells Niu Lang to kill him, because his skin can be used as a magic carpet that he can fly to the Heavens on. Niu Lang hesitates but finally agrees. He slaughters and skins the cow.

Some versions of the legend have the cow dying of old age, rather than by his best friend’s hand. Photo by Kseniya Konovets on Unsplash

Scene 6 – Once a Year

Niu Lang attempts to fly to the Heavens on the cow hide, but all manner of obstacles get in his way. The final blockade is the Milky Way constellation, which the Sky Queen slings in his path as an insurmountable river of stars.

Before flocks of birds cooperate to create bridge structures in outer space they look just like regular flocks of birds. Photo by Jan-Niclas Aberle on Unsplash

A flock of magpies, who happened to have been watching this failed rescue attempt, decide to help. It is a big flock, and they lock together beak to wing to form a bridge over the stars for Niu Lang to cross. The Sky King and Queen are impressed by his tenacity, and permit him to be reunited with Zhi Nu once a year.

What to do

Obviously, get in touch with your significant other. A date would be a good option rather than a text message. Get outside in the moonlight if you can. The need for gifts may still be negotiable, but this may change in 2023.

Most of the behaviour of couple’s during Qixi is similar to Valentine’s Day in the West. Photo by Matthieu Huang on Unsplash

Zhi Nu was also known for her weaving prowess. It is customary for women and girls to thread needles in dim light and sew in honor of her. If you have any relatives, friends, or neighbors that are into this tradition, this is a good time to get any repair work done on your clothes.

What to eat

A cultural treat to savor is qiaoguo, a simple pastry moulded into a flower or animal design. It is thought that eating this will help the lovers to meet on the bridge. The crumbs that you bat off your shirt will hit the ground, and birds will gather once you are gone.

Animal crackers and qiaoguo have a lot in common, although qiaoguo are a lot more elaborate. Image by Miroslavik from Pixabay

If you can’t get a hold of qiaoguo, any flaky snack will do the trick. As long as the birds get fed you will be playing your part in the lover’s rendezvous.

Whether you are single or part of a couple, here’s to a happy Qixi Festival day. Follow the links  to read more about other highlights in the Chinese cultural calendar.

The post Qixi Festival User Guide appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here are five fun Dragon Boat Festival facts that you can drop into conversations while you are tying up a tetrahedron of sticky rice during this long weekend:

1. It’s all about a dead poet

Qu Yuan was a poet and statesmen from 2300 years ago, remembered as a great patriot and a tragic hero. He got mixed up in the political malarkey of the Warring States Period. This didn’t work out well for him, as he wrote in the largely autobiographical poem, Li Sao:

I marvel at the folly of the king,
So heedless of his people’s suffering.
They envied me my moth-like eyebrows fine,
And so my name his damsels did malign.

Despite his excellent moth-like eyebrows, he eventually lost his own kingdom. In protest at the corruption of the times, he threw himself into a river in an act of ritual suicide.

Onlookers were dismayed, and rushed to their boats to either save him or retrieve his body. They also threw sticky rice into the water to distract the fish from nibbling at him. Hence dragon boat racing, and hence zongzi.

2. You are not meant to eat the leaves or the string on the zongzi

The shape may vary, but the essentials are glutinous rice, bamboo leaves, and string. Wrapping zongzi is a family event, like dumpling folding at Spring Festival. If you get invited to join in, you are doing well at a community level.

Eating zongzi can be a bit like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you are never sure what you are going to get. There are a multitude of filling options at the heart of your zongzi: pork belly, duck egg, taro paste, or even custard. Be ready for a delicious surprise.

3. Dragon Boat racing is not an Olympic sport, yet

In the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Dragon Boat racing was included as a demonstration sport in a bid to have it upgraded to medal status.

If synchronized swimming, or skateboarding, curling or even boomerang throwing* is considered an Olympic sport, it’s only a matter of time before dragon boats get the nod.

*note that one of these sports is not actually an Olympic sport.

4. It’s actually quite an unlucky time of year

As the tale of Qu Yuan might suggest, the fifth lunar month is quite unlucky in the Chinese calendar. As summer rolls in, insects spring to life. Mosquitoes boom. Frogs creep out of ponds. Humidity is on the rise.

There are some actions you can take to safeguard against bad luck. If you can balance an egg on its end at midday, you’ll be fine. To keep the bugs away you might also consider hanging mugwort leaves above your door and windows. Insects hate that stuff.

5. Realgar wine can help you identify if someone is actually a snake

Realgar wine is a traditional alcoholic drink that is thought to drive away evil spirits and kill insects. The first sip will verify these details, but it gets better after the third cup.

In the Chinese fable The Legend of the White Snake, the hero uses realgar wine to confirm that his wife is actually a snake in disguise. If you are a snake in disguise, don’t drink it. If you suspect your spouse or significant other is in fact a were-snake, have them try some and watch what happens.

Ganbei!

The post Dragon Boat Festival Facts appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here she talks about living in and traveling around China, and about her experience of working in a truly international learning community.

You have worked as a teacher in a few different countries around Asia. In which country have you enjoyed working the most?

“I’ve actually enjoyed China the most. I think Thailand is brilliant for a holiday, but probably not so great for working. Japan was great. I mean, Japan is an amazing country, but the cost of living is quite expensive. But China has been great, because I’ve been able to save a lot, and I’ve also been able to travel a lot. Even with COVID, not being able to travel outside of China so easily, but being able to travel around China itself, has been incredible. So I’ve definitely enjoyed China.”

What qualities do you think you need to succeed as a teacher in China?

“Open-mindedness. Acceptance. Communication. Humor. Just to be aware of the fact that you are stepping into a different culture. As a teacher at RDFZ you just need to talk to people. Communicate. Get to know people. Work hard. No-one likes a shirker!”

Visible learning in a wall of words

Is it hard work?

“Yes, it is. We have quite a few classes. There are high expectations. This is fine, there should be high expectations if you are teaching children anyway. It’s nothing that you wouldn’t expect from a school that really values positive student outcomes.”

Are there any teachers or educators who have influenced your teaching style?

“I think I’m probably influenced by a great range of people. We have quite a few really good teachers here, and when I’ve gone in and observed them I’ve picked up some really good teaching tips.

“Thinking back to my own primary school teachers I remember a couple of teachers that were really horrible to me. You always remember the horrible ones. But then I remember another one who was really funny, and he was kind, and he was a good teacher.”

How would you describe your students?

“They are great! They are really good. I wouldn’t say that I’ve got any naughty students. I’ve got some that can get a bit hyperactive sometimes. In my experience, most of my students are quite hardworking, and they enjoy studying, and they enjoy succeeding, so it’s not hard to get them to do their homework. Every now and then someone forgets, but it’s never on a consistent basis of not doing the work.”

You can tell how much the students love Rebecca’s classes by the smiles on their faces

How do you interact with your Chinese colleagues in your daily work life?

“We have tutor group every morning, and so my co-tutor is Chinese. Some of our English teachers are Chinese as well. So we work together quite closely. We have a teacher from Singapore. We have teachers from all over the place. America, UK, Turkey, Serbia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. It’s interesting, to get to learn about different countries, different cultures.”

What would you say to someone to encourage them to come to RDFZ Hangzhou to work?

“I would say that you will never be bored here. It’s a really stimulating environment. You will learn a lot. You will develop as a teacher. And there are always opportunities for leadership so, if you want to develop in that area, there will be opportunities for that. The school has got a really great professional development program. Also, if you start doing some post-grad studies, they will also help you out with the cost of that as well depending on how long you have been working for the school. It’s a really good salary. All in all, it’s a great place to work.”

Can you give an example of some kind of professional development training that you’ve taken?

“We have regular PD days. For a whole day, there won’t be any students here, and there will be a series of PD sessions that we can choose from. For some of them, we get Dipont instructors to come in, and others are from our internal teachers who want to develop their training skills and share their ideas. The last PD session I went to was about Socratic Questioning. It was really good. That was led by Leanne Grundy, from Dipont HQ.”

What do you like to do in your free time?

“I love walking around where I’m living. There are little tea plantations, and I went for a long walk one day, just roamed endlessly, and I ended up in this tiny little village surrounded by tea plantations. And there was a big reservoir, and I almost stepped on a snake. It was great.”

What is a special memory that you have of traveling around China?

“Last summer I went on an Amdo art tour, that’s a place on the Tibetan plateau. It was with a very small group. We started off in Xining, and we ended up going to a far-off Tibetan city that is basically considered the home of Tibetan art. We went there, and we did a two-day workshop on how to paint in the style of Tibetan art. That was really special. And then we did a little hike in Ganan, so we were up quite high.

“I also went to Shangri La. I did a great hike into Yubeng village. That was pretty special as well. Just to see a small place like that. It was amazing.”

Yubeng village in Yunnan province with Meili Snow Mountain in the distance

❖

We have positions available for qualified and energetic teachers at RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou for an August 2022 start. Visit our independent schools jobs section to review these and other open positions across our broad network of exceptional schools in China.

The post An English teacher in China: “You will never be bored here!” appeared first on Dipont Education.

For more than two years now COVID-19 has been the disruptor that keeps on disrupting. From international travel restrictions to snap lockdowns and, of course, the pleasant sensation of having the back of your eyeball tickled by a q-tip in the cold, dusk open air, it has been a time of uncertainty for many, a time of tragedy for some, and a time of inconvenience for all.

Despite these troubles, there are some green shoots to be spotted if you know where to look. Here are four ways that COVID-19 has created opportunities for those of us still in China:

1. There have never been so many teaching jobs to choose from

In Shanghai, the number of expats has fallen by more than 20% since 2010, while in Beijing the drop-off has been double that. What this means for international teachers is the equivalent of a buyer’s market: there is a massive oversupply of jobs to choose from as schools across the country clamor to fill positions. If you are a teacher, you are in high demand.

2. Get local (and save a lot)

Travel has been difficult for a while now yet, unlike many other parts of the world, day-to-day life has been relatively unhindered in China. This presents an opportunity to get to know your local area in a way that you weren’t able to when you were bustling to Bali and back every holiday you had.

It has been a time for being situated, connected and in tune with your local community. If you haven’t learnt more Chinese during the past two years, you aren’t trying. If you haven’t saved a lot of money during this time, you are eating way too much takeaway.

3. Fatten out your teaching portfolio as you pivot like a boss

For many teachers in and outside of China the “new normal” was characterized by a leap from offline to online classes virtually overnight. The result? A cohort of limber and agile educators, fluent in communications technology, adept at innovating, on their way to becoming the teachers of tomorrow.

4. Bilingual education. Get in on the ground floor as the next learning paradigm is constructed

The norm in a bilingual classroom used to be a so-called ‘foreign expert’ supported by a team of local teaching assistants. Now a trend that preceded Covid has gained momentum: a new generation of qualified and professional career educators are emerging to take their deserved place in authentic cross-cultural education departments throughout China.

As an expat educator, you will find you will be working less in a bubble and more involved in the day-to-day life of your school. The next way is coming. It’s good for your career to be a part of positive changes like these.

Dipont Education has an abundance of teaching jobs across our broad network of schools in China. Visit our careers section to review vacancies for an August 2022 start.

The post Staying positive during the time of Covid appeared first on Dipont Education.

Everyone here is gearing up for round two. Longer. Louder. Loads more food. Spring Festival is coming soon.

One of the delights of living and working in China is experiencing cultural events like Spring Festival first hand. Like Christmas, it’s a time for being with family and is rich with tradition. Like New Year’s Eve in the West, there is a midnight countdown as one year gives way to the next. For the expat teacher living in China, it is holiday time as the culture blooms around you.

Here are some tips for getting the most out of this most auspicious of Chinese festivals:

DO

Give a gift to your gateman: That guy in the uniform in the booth by your gate has been watching you walk past all year. Why not give him something? Bonus points if you give him a calendar from your home country. You win the key to his eternal gratitude if you give him a plush toy, also from your home country, that he can give to his kids or grandkids.

Give a hongbao* to your ayi**: Red is lucky. A red envelope with money in it is luckier. If you give your ayi a hongbao with the equivalent of a month’s salary in it, she will think she is the luckiest cleaning lady person ever. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Get a haircut: Hit the salon on Chinese New Year’s Eve for a full blast of cultural immersion. Shampoo? Check. Trim? Check. Shoulder massage? Check. High energy pop music blasting from the stereo? Obviously.

Get some new clothes: Splash out on a fresh ensemble and strut it out on New Year’s Day. If the new year coincides with your Chinese Zodiac animal you need to get red underpants also.

Clean your home: This is a good idea most of the time, but if you give your apartment a thorough sweeping on New Year’s Eve you are also observing a centuries-old tradition that represents getting rid of the old and making way for the new.

DON’T

Set off fireworks: Fireworks used to be a mainstay of the Spring Festival experience that reached a berserk crescendo on New Year’s night. The air was so thick you could chew on it. Fun. Exciting. Loud. The fireworks from different nights were associated with different agendas. Scaring away bad luck. Attracting good luck. Honoring relatives who had passed away.

In recent years, however, this custom has been outlawed due to the heinous pollution it caused. The air is now chilly, crisp, and pollution-free on New Year’s night, perfect for walking off the inevitably heavy and sumptuous meal. If you meet anyone, say “Gong xi fa cai!” You will surely get the same in return.

*A hongbao is a red envelope containing a gift of money. Multiples of eight, such as 888 RMB are especially auspicious.

**Ayi is the informal name for a cleaning person, usually a mature woman who is reminiscent of an aunt. As a teacher in China, you will have the disposable income to employ an ayi to help with your household chores.

Visit our careers section to find out about teaching positions currently available for an August 2022 start!

The post Spring Festival do’s and don’ts appeared first on Dipont Education.

He’s been teaching in China for five years, after originally coming to the country for a year-long gap year after university. He enjoys Chinese culture and food, and the convenient lifestyle of China’s big cities. He is the only biology teacher at Shishi High School and is enjoying the autonomy he has to teach the curriculum in his own way.

We caught up with Thomas via video call to chat about his experiences of teaching in China and how he came to join Dipont Education in Chengdu:

Chengdu Shishi High School was founded in 141 B.C. and has operated on the same site for more than 2,150 years. The school has an excellent reputation on a provincial and national level and is located in the downtown area on an attractive campus.

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and one of China’s largest cities. With a long history, it is famous for its relaxed lifestyle, spicy cuisine and as the home of the panda.

If you’d like to follow in Thomas’ footsteps and join Dipont as a teacher, we have a range of vacancies available on our international high school programs.

The post Journey to Dipont: Thomas’ story appeared first on Dipont Education.

He’s been a classroom teacher for more than a decade and has spent six of those years living and working in China. He and his family have been very happy in China and he enjoys teaching Chinese students who, he says, are extremely respectful of their teachers and keen to learn.

We caught up with Elijah via video call to chat about his experiences of teaching in China and how he came to join Dipont Education in Shenzhen:

Shenzhen Foreign Languages School is one of the best schools in Shenzhen city. The school is located on a quiet and clean campus at the foot of some splendid forested mountains, with a string of beaches not far away.

Shenzhen is one of China’s most modern, wealthy, clean and green cities. International restaurants, shopping malls and hotels are common and standard of living is high.

If you’d like to follow in Elijah’s footsteps and join Dipont as a teacher, we have a range of vacancies available on our international high school programs.

The post Journey to Dipont: Elijah’s story appeared first on Dipont Education.

Despite a population of more than a million, Zhangjiagang is small by Chinese standards. The center of the city is quite compact and it’s really easy to get around by e-bike (electric scooter) and bicycle. Everything is very easily accessible and taxis are very cheap.

Zhangjiagang has a small, but growing, expat population. I think there are around 200 expats living in the city, so it means that everyone knows each other. I really like this as it’s a very tight-knit community and feels like a village but with all the benefits of a city.

There are always people who are up for doing things. It’s very easy to make friends here, as everyone is in the same boat. There’s one main ‘foreigner’ bar in town, which is a bit of a community hub, and you’re always likely to strike up a conversation with someone there.

I actually left Zhangjiagang and came back. There’s an appeal to the city. I like the community aspect of it, I have some really great friends here. I’ve lived in huge cities in Japan and Thailand, that had many more expats, but they felt sort of anonymous. Here in Zhangjiagang you can be a part of the community and meet people from all over the world very easily.

Zhangjiagang has lots of different restaurants, including western options. It’s really cheap to eat out and get to know the local food, which is delicious. Cost of living here is really reasonable too – you can save a lot of money while still having funds for traveling and enjoying yourself.

The city is great for cultural immersion. Life for an expat is Zhangjiagang is never going to be as easy as in Shanghai, but it gives you a sense of living in the ‘real’ China. Bigger, more international cities like Suzhou and Shanghai are not far away when you need anything that Zhangjiagang doesn’t have.

Find out more about what it’s like to live in Zhangjiagang and explore the vacancies we have in the city!

The post What it’s like to live in Zhangjiagang, China appeared first on Dipont Education.