Pao Press Spring 2017 by YK Pao School

PaoPress SPRing 2017

The fruits of a triumphant decade Pao Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first cohort of graduates shines

contents

02 Chairman’s message 04 First cohort of graduates 1 7 Executive Headmaster’s MESSAGE 18 Students’ voices 24 CREATIVITY 28 Photo album 32 In the news

CHAIRMAN’s Message

Dear Friends of the Pao School Community,

As I am attending the Two Sessions in Beijing and witnessing the first spring blossoms, I bring to you news of the first blossoms along the journey of building Pao School, which Philip and I embarked on 10 years ago. Since 2007, Pao School has grown to 1200 students (Years 1-12) of different nationalities spread across two campuses. Over 300 international and mainland Chinese staff members oversee our day students at the Changning campus and our boarders at the Songjiang campus. Applicants far exceed places offered. The success is beyond our expectations in 2007. However our objective remains unchanged, and our direction unshaken. Based on the solid foundation of a Chinese curriculum, we incorporate an international perspective; we develop the whole person and focus on values education beyond academic excellence. We hope to educate the future leaders of our society. On this tenth year, we look forward to our first cohort of students graduating in May. Many were accepted to well known universities in the US and UK, such as University of Oxford, Brown University, University of Chicago, New York University, Northeastern University, Columbia University, to name a few. At Pao School, we value the process more than the outcome, yet the university acceptances are recognition of our unique programme, and an assurance of our quality as an educational institution. The 2017 graduation of our first Year 12 students will mark a major milestone in the development of Pao School. This success is due to the effort of many in our community, including our students, staff, parents and our government.

The three founders work together to continuously improve Pao School

The second milestone is the professionalisation of our school management team as we expand to three campuses. In addition to the capable leadership of Mike Spencer, and Crick Chen, who serve as Executive Principal and Deputy Executive Principal of Primary Division, respectively, and Paul Wood, Executive Principal of Secondary Division, we now have two whole-school deputy heads: Li Jing, Deputy Head (External Affairs) and Secretary-General, and Lucy Liu, Deputy Head (Operations). Li Jing and Lucy Liu are in charge of the software and hardware development of the whole school. Together with our new Director of Curriculum, Caroline Xu, I am confident Pao School will achieve new heights of excellence. The team will continue to operate under the leadership of Headmaster Wu Zijian.

To augment our alignment of curriculum, administration and fiscal balance in Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary, we are pleased to welcome Mr David Mansfield, who will serve as Executive Headmaster full time from August 2017. Meanwhile, he has already started this term to familiarise himself with our school. He brings his wealth of leadership experience running schools in England and China. I hope you will give our new leadership team your trust, cooperation, and support. They will further develop our school into a world-class educational institution. The third milestone is the development of a new campus in Hongqiao, where we intend to move our Junior Secondary Division for the following reasons: • Parents have expressed a strong desire for students to begin boarding at an older age. Hongqiao District, being in the city, can provide easy access for a daily commute. • The new campus allows us to maintain three small campuses (each campus not exceeding 600 students) for age-appropriate groups of students, thereby creating a congenial environment for learning and teaching. • As the demand for Pao School grows, a third campus will allow us to serve our community better. But we can assure you that Pao School values quality over quantity. • After a whole year’s search, we concluded that the Hongqiao campus, within the domain of Changning District, is an opportunity that cannot be missed. With the full support of the Changning District government, which has come to know Pao School over the past ten years, the Board decided to take up this rare opportunity despite short notice. The Hongqiao campus is not far from Xijiao State Guest Hotel. With a lower residential density, the green environment provides an excellent, airy campus for our Junior Secondary Division. As in the past, we intend to add one year at a time in order to ensure quality. We call for objectivity, patience, and understanding as we overcome some teething problems. Step by step, Pao School will grow with your support and encouragement. Board has appointed Secondary Division Executive Principal Paul Wood to oversee the development of Hongqiao campus at the same

time as Songjiang campus. Lori Marek, formerly the head of a high school in the US, will serve as Deputy Head of Hongqiao Campus . She will bring her passion for performing arts to the Hongqiao campus. Under the leadership of Caroline Xu, Junior Secondary’s curriculum planning is well underway. Together with Lee Sanders, our IGCSE programme will become even stronger while upholding the Shanghai curriculum. With regards to hardware development, Director of General Services Lanco Ke will bring with her 10 years of experience developing Pao School, including building our Changning and Songjiang campuses. She will work with Perkins Eastman, an international design firm specialising in schools, and me. In consultation with our teachers, I am sure we will deliver a modern world-class campus, balancing aesthetics and functionality. There will be three phases of development, and we intend to minimise decorative work in the first year so that our Year 6 students can move in during the 2017 term. While being sensitive to our co-existing school on the same campus, a slow start will also give us more time to develop the whole-school facilities, programme as well as the designs of the library, gym, auditorium and dining hall, which are going to be developed in the second and third phase. In the future, we will utilise the holidays to renovate, just as we did at Changning and Songjiang. As for the impending new education policies introduced by the government, we are less affected due to our non-profit-making nature. We appreciate and treasure the support of the government all these years. We will deliver their trust in a responsible manner. We will slowly develop our school within the legal parameters of education policy and be sensitive to the Shanghai government in their quest for upgrading the quality of education as a whole. I hope to see you all at our many 10th anniversary celebrations. I wish you good health and success. Let us join hands in building a world-class school for tomorrow’s China.

Prof. Anna Pao Sohmen Chairman of the Board and Founder

First cohort of graduates

TheY pioneers of Y Pao School A Secondary Division Executive Principal Dr Paul Wood (middle) and students participate in a xueyuan competition

ccording to a quotation attributed to Albert Einstein, ‘the person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before’.

The Pao School Class of 2017 and its families have indeed gone further than the crowd: Each year of their school careers, the students have found themselves ‘in places no one has seen before’ and their journeys have shaped this school as well as each of them individually. Indeed, they are pioneers. Without their commitment to the Pao School mission, their trust of our founders, and their unwavering support over – in some cases – ten years, our school would not exist. It’s as simple as that. How wonderful it is then to be able to reflect on the individual achievements of each and every Year 12 student, as they approach the end of this stage of their life journey. They will leave us to pursue further education in a wide range of academic areas as well as their co-curricular passions in sports, in the arts, and in service to others.

First cohort of graduates

Their rich range of interests reflects our Mission of ‘developing the whole person’. Students who join our school often speak of their appreciation for the wide range of opportunities at Pao School and the nurturing atmosphere that encourages them to follow their interests into new areas. So I congratulate our Class of 2017 for taking advantage of the opportunities available to them as well as for helping create many of those opportunities in the first place. That’s what happens when you walk ahead of the crowd: you have to create your own pathway! The Class of 2017 can be very proud of the pathway it has forged for itself and for Pao School. The universities at which the first cohort of Pao students have been offered places include some of the most highly regarded institutions in the world, among them Ivy League institutions (three early acceptances), the University of Chicago, and the University of Oxford. Students were also admitted to prestigious art and design colleges, women’s colleges, liberal arts colleges and comprehensive private urban universities. Pao students have the advantage of graduating from a school that in its first year of graduating students is already widely known and respected in the university admissions world. An admissions officer at a US university commented how Pao students stood out from many others: ‘We are deeply impressed with the strength of these students, from their descriptive writing and clear points of view, to their leadership, vision and character’.

Dr Paul wood Executive Principal Secondary Division

First cohort of graduates

Cultivating artistic talent

Computer science acumen

Pao students stand out in many academic fields. One area in which they have consistently demonstrated excellence is visual art. Jason Dufty, Pao School’s Head of Secondary Art, notes that Year 12 IB students put on a stellar exhibition recently. ‘I have been involved in four IB Diploma exhibitions over the years, and I have to say, in terms of organisation and hard work, this cohort of students have been the best. The level of professionalism was evident and commented on by everyone who came and saw the show’, he says.

In the field of computer science (CS), Pao students have also demonstrated sterling aptitude. The IGCSE CS students have just completed their self-design projects which included websites, Arduino electronics, robotics, and programming language projects. The IBDP CS students are currently developing advanced projects for submission to the IB progamme. The after-school Pao Innovative Engineering progamme has also seen the development of robots, drones, and advanced electronics.

All IB Diploma exhibitions strive to showcase the best of student talent. What was special about these 12 art students was the diversity of their themes, their ability to work independently, and finally their willingness to take on criticism and other perspectives in order to create stronger work. Several of the works show outstanding craftsmanship, Jason says. These include Jonas Vogt’s lotus sculpture, A Melon Falls Off its Stem When Ripe, A Channel Is Formed When Water Flows, a complex work that combines several materials and processes; Lucy Zhang’s acr ylic painting, Lost in Translation, a nuanced study that showcases deft brushwork and a confident palette; and Gina Xia’s illustrative and design work, Abraxas, an exquisite example of line work and detail. ‘Fostering a love of the arts in our students to enlighten their hearts and minds is a wonderful challenge and one of the most rewarding accomplishments one can hope to achieve as a teacher’, Jason says. ‘By encouraging and nurturing artistic ability in our students, we strive to promote a culture of personal development and generate a synergy of greater global and cultural awareness’.

All computer science students are required to have theoretical and practical knowledge in fundamental computer science concepts. ‘The purpose of our progammes is to engage all students in developing their inventiveness while challenging them to solve authentic problems using digital tools and resources’, says Jason Borovick, Head of ICT Secondary. ‘They are energised and inspired by their work and often work outside of the classroom’. Our IBDP CS students have taken on programming challenges as part of their computer science course. A few of the topics include: • Simplifying the Pao School lost and found system • Creating a mail and package tracking system for the Secondary campus

Pao School’s first cohort of graduates shines O

n 20 May, Pao School celebrated a historical moment on its Songjiang campus: the first graduation of students from its Senior Secondary Division. The Class of 2017 is a remarkably talented group of students from diverse backgrounds. They have been admitted to a number of the top universities in the world, including Ivy League schools in the United States, the University of Chicago, Rhode Island School of Design and the UK’s University of Oxford. 10 years on from its founding, Pao School is proud to witness the success of this first cohort of graduates. Their success is inextricably linked to the school’s mission

of developing the whole person, passing on traditions of Chinese culture and fostering an international perspective as well as its core values of compassion, integrity and balance. A number of distinguished guests attended the graduation ceremony. They included Mr Ping Hui, Chief Inspector of the Shanghai Education Commission; Ms Long Wanli, Mr Yao Hui and Mr Chen Xiaohua, officials from the Songjiang District government; a representative from Fangsong Street; Xiaomi co-founder Hong Feng; Pao School founders and board members; and parents and teachers.

Beating the drums with vigour, the 49 graduates wore traditional Chinese clothing - the boys Zhongshan suits and the girls qipao dresses - as they went onstage to begin the ceremony. The Zhoushan drums (which are considered a cultural relic in China) were included in the ceremony because they are a popular traditional folk art from the hometown of Sir YK Pao: the city of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province. With its focus on passing on traditions of Chinese culture, Pao School spent many months teaching students how to play the Zhoushan drums. This performance at the graduation ceremony marked the debut of Pao School’s Zhoushan Drum Team.

• A dual entry bookkeeping system for an accountant • A scheduling progamme for better utilisation of classrooms in the afterschool progamme • An app to help other student get the most out of their study time • All Pao Junior Secondary ICT students learned how Photoshop manipulates digital images and through the process, designed their own creative multimedia masterpieces.

Group photo of the graduates taken during the graduation ceremony

First cohort of graduates

Headmaster Wu Zijian gave an impassioned speech at the graduation. He recalled the Class of 2017’s first year at Pao School, and expressed his hope that their future will be bright. He urged students to keep in mind the words of Sir YK PAO : ‘Exercise persistently, use sparingly, work diligently’. He said that the students should aspire for greatness, but that to achieve greatness requires hard work on the ground. Start with small goals, and as you achieve those, gradually set more ambitious goals, he said, adding that one should not be deterred by bumps in the road; with perseverance, those obstacles can be overcome. Finally, he reminded students that it is essential to keep both body and mind in good health. During his speech, Chief Inspector of the Shanghai Education Commission Ping Hui praised Pao students for being admitted to some of the world’s finest universities. He said he hoped students could appreciate their home country of China, their school and their classmates, and that they would uphold Pao School’s core values of compassion, integrity and balance, as well as Chinese cultural traditions. He expressed the Shanghai Education Commission’s support for Pao School, and wished the school the very best for the future. The students of the Class of 2017 have many fond memories of their years at Pao School; during the graduation ceremony, they recalled those memories in verse and song. The full support of the founders has always served as a bedrock for Pao School’s development. At the ceremony, the three founders spoke of their hopes for Pao School’s first cohort of graduates. Chairman Anna Pao Sohmen spoke on behalf of Pao School to congratulate the students on their fine results and thank parents for their trust and support of Pao School. She shared her experience with the audience of studying abroad, which she did at the age of 16. Before she went abroad, her father Sir YK Pao told her to focus on two things: exercise to ensure a healthy body, and learn about the ways in which foreign countries are advanced. In addition, the headmaster of her school told her to absorb knowledge like a sponge. As for learning on one’s own, Sir YK Pao excelled at this, she said. She noted that Sir YK Pao devoted himself to building a 08

First cohort of graduates

shipping business in the 1960s. Although he did not attend university, he still worked hard to learn English and insisted on using English in daily staff meetings at his company. Within three years, his company went global. Further, by the 1970s, Sir YK Pao was able to speak English fluently with leaders of other countries. Yet he continued to work on improving his English fluency, and listened to English recordings before going to bed every evening. Using the example of Sir YK Pao, Chairman Anna Pao Sohmen encouraged students to learn independently and to be persistent in their studies; that is the key to success, she said. During her speech, Vice Chairman Tan Fuyun emphasised appreciation and responsibility. She thanked Shanghai government leaders for their important support. She noted that the story of Pao School encompasses three generations of the Pao family. Chairman Anna Pao Sohmen and her son Philip Sohmen have been very devoted to the school; Vice Chairman Tan hopes students can be appreciative of their dedication. Recalling the first time she met Sir YK Pao, Vice Chairman Tan said he asked her, ‘What books have you been reading lately’? She hopes students can be like Sir YK Pao and consider learning to be a life-long experience. She also pointed out that Pao School would carry on its responsibilities and cultivate students with both strong Chinese and English ability, diverse cultural visions and an innovative spirit. She hopes Pao School will become a top school globally and promote Chinese education to the world. During his speech, Philip Sohmen recalled Pao School’s ten-year path of development. He said it was a long road, and that Pao School’s success wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Shanghai government, parents and teachers. Philip Sohmen is proud of the students for their outstanding work. He hopes Pao School will continuously uphold its mission, make education enjoyable for its students and maintain its unique campus culture with Chinese characteristics. He hopes students will maintain Pao School’s core values and present a positive image (of themselves and the school) to their family, home countries and the world. He also encouraged students to seek truth from hard work and exploration of the world.

Later in the ceremony, graduates sang the school song together, expressing their affection for Pao School. During his speech Hong shared his own learning and work experience, and discussed the important choices he has had to make. He said that in work and life, we inevitably encounter many problems. We need to see the problems clearly and continuously learn in order to develop strong problem-solving skills, he said. He encouraged students to follow their interests and pursue their dreams. Do not be afraid to take risks; even if you fail, you will have no regrets because you will know that you at least tried and worked hard, he said. All Pao graduates have contemplated how they have changed during their years at the school, and what they have gained from their education. Every graduate has a unique story. Graduate representative Kaixin spoke to the audience about how he grew at Pao School; he said the school has not been simply a platform for studying and exchanges; it has been like a home to him. Student representative Augustine spoke about how when he first came to Pao School, he was able to find so many fine qualities in his classmates. Meanwhile, Trinity recalled her ten years at Pao School fondly, saying that the learning experience she had at Pao School is extremely meaningful and will be with her for her whole life. Pao School’s first cohort of graduates overcame many difficulties during their years at Pao School. They charged forward to meet challenges head on just like a car accelerating. Thus, they presented a wheel as a gift to Secondary Division Executive Principal Dr Paul Wood - a reference to him acting as the wheel steering students in the direction of their dreams. There was also a formal ceremony in which graduation certificates were presented to students. One after the other, students went onstage to accept their graduation certificates from government leaders, the founders, the headmaster and executive principal of secondary division as the audience applauded.

Students playing the Zhoushan Drum as part of a farewell ceremony for graduates Headmaster Wu Zijian speaking at the graduation ceremony Ping Hui, Chief Inspector of the Shanghai Education Commission, speaking at the graduation ceremony Students reciting poems they composed about their years in the Secondary Division

Pao School’s first cohort of graduates will always keep their fond memories of Pao School in their hearts. Having achieved outstanding results both academically and outside the classroom, they will now begin a new chapter in their lives. They have a bright future ahead of them. 09

First cohort of graduates

Graduate representative Kaixin speaking Graduate representative Augustine speaking Graduate representative Trinity speaking Graduate representatives presenting a gift to Dr Paul Wood, Executive Principal of the YK Pao School Secondary Division Government leaders and the founders presenting graduates with graduation certificates

Chairman Anna Pao Sohmen speaking at the graduation ceremony Vice Chairman Tan Fuyun speaking at the graduation ceremony Vice Chairman Philip Sohmen speaking at the graduation ceremony Students singing the school song together Xiaomi co-founder Hong Feng speaking at the graduation

First cohort of graduates

Graduation is a time to remember be honoured & be thankful

First cohort of graduates

Parents of graduates presenting a gift of a tree plate to the school Graduates during a recent visit to Shanghai Disney Many students were recognised for their outstanding achievements during the Graduation Awards Ceremony

Tunnel of Love: Pao School's teachers and students lining up to congratulate the graduates Philip Sohmen advising new graduates on university life Students trying their hand at serving food in the cafeteria

First cohort of graduates

Pao School's first cohort of graduates Pursuing their passions P

ao School’s first cohort of graduates received many offers from the world’s top universities. The schools were impressed with our students’ academic aptitude and distinctive personalities. What made our students stand out from the crowd during the application process? What will they focus on in their university studies? Let’s see what they say.

Graduates gathering their belongings as they prepare to leave Pao School, the place they have called home for many years Students writing farewell messages in the graduation book Former Secondary Division Executive Principal Tony Jaccaci finishes banging the gong Former Secondary Division Executive Principal Tony Jaccaci looking pleasantly surprised

Lucy: I plan to double major in histor y and development at Brown University. I have had a deep interest in histor y since a young age. As Pao School places a strong emphasis on cultivating students’ reading ability, I have had many opportunities to enrich my knowledge of histor y here. Also, Pao School focuses on developing students’ critical thinking skills, which are essential for understanding histor y. I will also major in development at Brown. I have been interested in development since my recent trip to Southeast Asia, which was facilitated by Pao School. There, I had the opportunity to help impoverished families in Cambodia. I realised at the time that sometimes countries may need external assistance to solve some of their most pressing problems, and that I could make a difference in people’s lives by studying development.

First cohort of graduates

Executive Headmaster’s MESSAGE

A Sea of Smiling Faces DAVID MANSFIELD Executive Headmaster of Pao School

Clementine: This fall I will begin my studies at Columbia University. I plan to double major in history or literature and political science or economics. I am preparing to study these subjects at Columbia because they have both academic and practical applications. Pao School’s whole-person education made me realise it is essential to develop a wide variety of skills. Pao School’s immersive bilingual education environment helps students to reach native English proficiency after one to two years of enrolment. At Pao School, it is possible to engage with faculty, staff and classmates from many countries and backgrounds. In the long run, this helps students to better understand different cultures and foster an international outlook.

Charlie: I will study math at Oxford University. My interest in math deepened during my years at Pao School as I joined the Pao Engineering Club. Many of the cub’s activities focus on math, coding and science. I am also interested in mathematical theories, which are widely applied in computing and important for learning how to code. I like math theories because they contain many proofs, and are very challenging. Pao School encourages students to independently develop their own interests. The environment is not overly strict; we are allowed to bring our laptop computers to class. This is convenient for academic purposes, and also helps us develop our personal interests. For instance, during our holidays, I used the time to learn more about coding. I will continue to develop my interest in computing at university.

Anja: I will attend university at the Rhode Island School of Design and major in industrial design. Design allows us to express our perspectives on life and beauty. I will major in industrial design so I can learn to design things that combine aesthetics and functionality. Pao School cultivates an appreciation for art in its students. The school invites famous designers to visit and talk with students about their views on art and sources of inspiration. At Pao School, we have our own art studio, where we create different signs and installation art. This livens up the atmosphere on campus. Once, I noticed in an art classroom that a three-pin plug was taking up so much space in a wall socket with two outlets that it was impossible to plug in a second device. This sparked my interest in industrial design: I thought to myself that there must be a way to improve the functionality of wall sockets. Pao School’s counsellors played an important role in guiding me through the college application process, and I would like to thank them. They provided me with important information about different schools and explained to me how to select the schools that were the best fit for me. They also assisted me to manage my time well. Additionally, I would like to thank my teachers. With their guidance, I was able to effectively express myself in personal statements and make my strengths stand out to admissions committees.

sea of smiling faces. Polite children who open doors for me and ask how I am. Clever students who quiz me deeply on issues as we share lunch together. These are some of my early impressions of YK Pao School. It is special. It is popular. It has a deserved reputation in the community for doing something that other schools can only aspire to achieve – educating young people so that they can confidently live and work in two communities - the East and the West. The first Pao Graduating Class of 2017 is symbolic of the flood of students who will sooner or later pour out of the doors of Songjiang to enter the world of higher education, prepared to study in the West, but to one day return and shape the future of modern China. It was this vision of transformation that first struck me in conversation with Philip and Mrs Sohmen. It was clear they were determined to make a difference. Just as Sir YK Pao altered the business and political landscape of Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland in the 20th century, so too was that tradition to be carried on in the 21st century by his family through this distinctive School. It is no wonder that I was attracted to it. My own educational background has been diverse and in some ways has drawn me to the doors of schools like Pao School. After earning a history degree from Cambridge University and training as a teacher at Oxford University, I taught in independent and state schools around London and the southeast of England, picking up a Master’s degree in education and an MBA along the way. After two headships in the UK – a selective grammar school with a good Oxbridge success rate, and a large high performing wide-ability

secondary school in East London – I was appointed Headmaster of Dulwich College Beijing, one of the flagship International schools in China. Whilst a head in the UK, I became a director of Cambridge Assessment, which delivers examinations worldwide (Pao School is a Cambridge IGCSE centre), and travelled extensively in Latin America, Africa and Asia on their behalf. The idea of moving into the international market began to grow. In 2006, I was invited, along with a number of UK headteachers, on a study tour of Shanghai. We stayed in the Jiading district and reviewed what was already developing into a world-class education system. Little did I know that just down the road, the Sohmens were planning Shanghai’s first international Chinese School which would eventually become my home. Chinese education has always fascinated me, and whilst at Dulwich I did a lot of consultancy work with Chinese colleagues, working closely with training providers and opening up the College to Chinese teachers and leaders wishing to learn more about Western pedagogy and leadership structures. Pao School offers an opportunity to take this interest and growing expertise to the next level and to help the founders and governors build something truly world-class. My role since February has been to work part-time with the YK Pao School SMC on the strategic planning process and to help the School to clarify its goals for the next phase of its journey. The first five-year plan was narrowly focused on ‘Building a New School’ (2007-12); the second broadened slightly, aiming at ‘Building a Leading School in Shanghai’ (2013-17); the third (the one we are writing now) is deliberately targeting ‘Building a Leading School in China’ (2017-22). The fourth

Strategic Plan (to be constructed in 2021-2) will ambitiously focus on ‘Building a World Leading School’ (2022-27). The aims of the School are unchanging. Pao School will always seek to emphasise the holistic education of the whole child, the importance of Chinese culture and identity, and preparing students for international higher education and the global marketplace. Its values are timeless – compassion, integrity and balance – flowing from the priorities of YK Pao himself. Whilst the goals remain the same, the methods used to achieve them and key priorities will vary at different stages in the School’s development. My brief as the Executive Headmaster is to identify the current priorities and then implement the changes that will take what is already a very good school up to the next level. As I write we await the outcomes of the CIS (Council of International Schools) visit in March, and their comments will be very informative. But we already know that the next five years will see a push to embed a distinctive Pao School approach to teaching and learning, and a broadening of the experience that students gain at the School. In the short-term, we will see the opening of the new Hongqiao campus, and this will be accompanied by the establishment of a new Professional Learning Centre to support teacher development and training. YK Pao School has come a huge distance in a short time. The next five years will form a platform upon which further success can be built. The vision, support and commitment of the founders and governors are unrelenting and it is my privilege to become the first Executive Headmaster in the School’s history. The future of Pao School will be exciting and I very much look forward to experiencing the journey together with you. 17

Students‘ voices

Cathy, Y6

Students‘ voices

Why is PaO School unique?

on the occasion of her transfer to Pao School

came to Pao School from public school as a Year 5 student. During my first visit to the school, after taking the exam for transfer students, I recall clearly how I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the school’s bathroom. Not only was there hot running water, but there was no putrid odor either. There was even a toilet with a seat instead of a squat toilet. I told my mother when I returned home that day that I absolutely had to transfer to Pao School; ‘The bathroom is as clean as the bathroom in our home’, I told her. After transferring to Pao School, I increasingly realised how it was a unique place. Foreign teachers are interesting and have a sense of humor. They praise and encourage us. I still remember how our English teacher, Mr Jon, introduced himself and still laugh whenever I recall the introduction. He pretended to be serious and made a face, and said, ‘You’d better be careful. I am very awful!’ What an unusual English teacher (in the best sense of ‘unusual’), I thought to myself. And I saw that there was more to English class than just learning vocabulary words and grammar. Mr Jon used many different methods to make us eager to learn, and he truly helped make us more knowledgeable people. Mr Jon also taught us a class about the European Union. During one class about ancient Athens, Mr Jon told us that there

were four classes of people who were not permitted to participate in the Athens Congress of Citizens: slaves, gentiles, women and men who were minors. Mr Jon asked us if he were in ancient Athens, could he participate in the Congress? Every student said he could. However, he replied with a sad face, ‘No, I could not, because I am the slave of my wife and baby.’ Everyone laughed at the joke, and in this way we discovered it is possible to use humour to absorb and retain new knowledge. Pao Chinese teachers are easygoing and friendly, and respect students. In our Chinese class (language class), we usually have group discussion. Teacher Lin hopes we can deepen our understanding through independent thinking. I like this method of learning very much. I remember during our first class, Teacher Lin explained her many requirements for the class to us. One of them was students should not use white-out liquid to correct their writing mistakes. Instead, she told us to cross out the mistake and write above it when writing with a pen or erase the mistake when writing with a pencil. One student asked her to explain the reason for this rule. I thought Teacher Lin would simply say, ‘Because these are the rules.’ But instead she patiently explained the reasoning behind the rule. She told us white-out fluid is poisonous and harmful to children. I was surprised that she took the time to explain the reason for a rule.

Math class at Pao School is different too. It’s not just about doing exercises and drills. Teacher Fang always takes her time to explain the key points and usually lets students take turns to play teacher themselves. I like learning math in this more relaxed atmosphere. Teacher Fang usually uses students’ homework sheets as teaching materials, putting on the projector. For a time, she used the homework of a student named Yawen frequently. Another classmate, Amy, asked her why. I was at first concerned Teacher Fang would scold Amy for questioning her judgment. Instead, Teacher Fang explained that the mistakes Yawen made represented key misunderstandings and that they needed to be explained clearly (to help us avoid those types of mistakes in the future). Our PE teacher Liu Kai is always smiling. Students call him ‘Niupai’, which sounds like his Chinese name. I often see him with students, who enjoy his company. One time I saw two students on his lap, two

on his back, and one on his shoulder. As he was trying to make them get off of him, he dropped his mobile phone. Some kids tried to grab it, and yelled, ‘Niupai, Niupai, I want to eat niupai!’ But Teacher Liu was not angry. He just tried to retrieve his phone. He is like a big brother to us. My classmates are friendly and like sunshine to me. Nessa is the first good friend I made at Pao School. She warmly introduced the school to me. With her help, I slowly got used to life and classmates here. Also with her encouragement, I started to play volleyball and made the second volleyball team. The first time I got a score of 100 on a math test, a tall girl came up to me at lunch. She said, ‘I am Lily from 5B. Are you Cathy from 5A? I heard you got 100 on the math test. You are excellent.’ I saw she was sincere and felt extremely happy. When I first arrived at Pao School, I was a little embarrassed that my English level was below that of many other students. Lily’s words really brightened up my day. All these memories have warmed my heart and made me love Pao School. I believe that I will grow happily in Pao School. 19

STUDENTS’ VOICES

Pao School dominates theatrical competition sammi, Y10

hole-person education is an integral part of Pao School’s mission. Pao School believes in encouraging students to pursue their interests in a wide variety of areas. Drama is an important co-curricular activity at Pao School, and over the years, the school has cultivated some outstanding young drama talent. During the weekend of 25-26 March, The Educational Theatre Association of China organised the annual National Young Thespian Festival in Kongjiang

Middle School in Shanghai. Attracting drama talents from all over China, this year’s festival had over 300 contestants from 46 schools in 9 provinces. Ten of Pao School’s Senior Secondary drama students including myself participated in three individual categories. The two-day competition was a great experience for us, as we had the chance to meet and learn from other talented actors and actresses from across China. With participants in all three categories - monologue, duologue

and improvisation - we were all ver y delighted to make it into the semi-finals and ended up with five groups that made the finals. Compared to other schools, we are definitely new to the festival but we made a good impression on the judges and other contestants. Coming back to school with eleven trophies, we feel ver y honoured to be recognised as an outstanding group by the Educational Theatre Association of China and feel proud to be representing Pao School’s drama talents.

STUDENTS’ VOICES

Pao Students’ Journey to San Diego

diana, Y10

ecently, I visited Francis Parker School in San Diego with my classmate Tiffany and teacher Vivian Shen. This trip, which was the first time I travelled outside of Asia, was part of a student exchange programme. Parker is a long-established private school in an idyllic location by the ocean in San Diego. Everyone at Parker made me feel welcome; they were friendly and hospitable. During the trip, I experienced many new things and broadened my world view. I am thankful that Pao School gave me this opportunity to experience an entirely different culture from my own. The most memorable part of this trip for me was staying with my American host family, the Gardenswartzs. The Gardenswartzs are a Jewish family who lives in a lovely house on La Mesa hill. Mr Gardenswartz is a well-known lawyer in San Diego. He is a humourous man who asks me a lot of questions about China. Mrs Gardenswartz was a teacher and a former principal in a Jewish day school. She now does housework and sometimes gives trainings to parents and teachers. Mr and Mrs Gardenswartz have three children: Their oldest son Jacob is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania; their daughter Sofia (with whom I spent most

of my time) is a junior at Parker, and their youngest child Ryan attends Waldorf. He shares a lot of common interests with me, such as piano, chess and flute. Both parents treat their children well. Sofia and her older brother both have their own non-profit organisation, developed with the assistance of their parents. During the fall break, Jacob came home to run an activity for his non-profit, Impact on Stage, and I attended one of their meetings. Impact is a special theatre that performs at educational institutions and workplaces in San Diego to raise awareness of bullying. In this organisation, Jacob combines his passions for drama and community service. He writes all of the plays and directs them. At the meeting I attended, participants discussed how to raise public awareness about discrimination against transgender people, a problem I had not previously thought about. I was impressed with their intelligent discussion. It made me realise that in our daily life, we spend a lot of our free time hanging out with friends, shopping or studying in cram schools. How many of us use our free time to do something beneficial for society?

The Gardenswartz family is part of a friendly Jewish community in San Diego. During my visit, they celebrated two Jewish holidays: Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the holiest day of the year in Judaism). The family took me to a synagogue and I participated in all of their rituals and services (except fasting), and gained a vivid impression of Judaism. The Friday supper is called Shabbat, during which all family members gather and pray together before eating dinner. Men wear kippah (a brimless cap), and women sing Hebrew prayers and kiss every member of the family. The night before I left, I cooked them a Chinese Shabbat, with scrambled eggs and tomatoes, Coca-Cola chicken wings, stir-fried potato strips and stir-fried beef with onions. They loved the meal and we all hugged each other after we finished eating. Looking back, I realise that we really built a strong friendship in just two weeks. The most important part of the trip was attending school at Parker. There are 8 class periods everyday. Unlike at Pao School, students at Parker normally only take 6 to 7 classes each day, with one free period to do homework in the library or

something else. I took AP Art History, Global History, English, Creative Writing, Instrument Ensemble, Journalism and AP Biology. I enjoyed most of the classes, especially the humanities courses. I was amazed at the maturity of American students’ thinking. The classroom environment at Parker is dynamic; discussion is open. Students proactively answer questions and are eager to express their ideas. They are unafraid of responding to a question even if their answers may be wrong. Compared to most Chinese students, American students may seem more individualistic and less respectful to their teachers, but they’re really more creative and disciplined when they need to study outside of the classroom or participate in studentrun activities.

Almost all students in Parker are very enthusiastic people. They value the process more than the outcome, and show dedication in their endeavours. They rarely insist on getting something right the first time. Instead they focus on how much you can learn and enjoy. My experience at Parker made me think about areas in which I can improve. I realise now that it’s important to have goals in life, which can start small when we are young, and gradually grow more ambitious as we mature. We should think about what type of person we want to be and work towards that. I also realised during my visit that it’s important to read as much as possible – even when it is not for a classroom assignment. I was amazed at the number

of books there were in the Gardenswartz home and every single classroom at Parker. Reading not only makes us more knowledgeable; it helps our imaginations to grow and make our lives richer. Finally, I am grateful to Pao School for offering me this opportunity to be an exchange student. Although the two weeks passed quickly, I gained a great deal from the experience. In particular, I learned about a different culture and developed strong friendships - both with my host family and other people I met during the trip. I am sure these friendships will endure as my new friends and I remain in touch. I highly recommend younger Pao students apply to this student exchange programme. 23

Creativity

Primary

Gabriel / Allison / Ray / lvy / Azuo Y3C Audrey Y1E Kevin / Angelina / Jonathan / Jacqueline Y3C Elisa Y5B Raina Y4A Arwen Y5C Bonnie Y4D Sissi Y5C

Creativity

Secondary

Alice Y9 Geminy Y11 Ingrid Y10 Simone Y10 Mary Y11 Luye Y10 Jonas Y12

PAO SCHOOL ALBUM

inspiration achievement fun U.S. Department of State Regional Education Officer Dr Hobdell (middle) visits Pao School A piano performance of ‘On Wings of Song’ by Secondary Division students Pao School wins the ‘Outstanding SME Social Responsibility Award’ at The Mirror’s sixth annual ‘Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Awards’ Year 12 IB Art students are invited to participate in the ‘Fantasyland’-themed joint art exhibition Pao students enrich campus cultural life with Book Week Experiencing the richness of Chinese culture during Chinese Culture Week The Eco-Fair helps to protect the environment

PAO SCHOOL ALBUM

The Primary Division’s Winter Concert Character Education mascots Ying and Kong are formally introduced to everyone Pao School’s Story Team performs the play ‘Homework Troubles’ Pao School’s first dance competition ends on a high note A special performance of the one-man play ‘Mr Darwin’s Tree’ at Pao School Cycle for Love: Pao School helps leukaemia patients Pao students participate in the ‘Future Stars: Dreaming of an Art-Filled World’ charity performance Pao students enjoying the Swimming Gala

IN the news

in the news

In the News

Shanghai Education TV 'E Talk' Whole-person educationďź&#x161; Pao School's ten years of experience in the education field

BBC Philip Sohmen BBC interview

Xinmin Evening News China National Radio Pao School's first graduating class accepted at top universities worldwide

The Shanghai Children's Foundation has been quietly working to help underprivileged children achieve their dreams through art. This year's 'Future Stars: Dreaming of an Art-Filled World' charity event is playing a key role in this effort.

IN the news

in the news

The Parents' Circle of International Schools Executive Headmaster of Pao School: 'True whole-person education results from both carrying on Chinese cultural traditions and fostering an international perspective '

Bund Education From the perspective of an eminent international school in Shanghai, this is what an ideal language class looks like

ikids A 10-year journey: How does this 'eminent school' educate and train its students?

Takungpao The RE:FORM Project is officially launched at Pao School