>>Teacher Configuration：Half-day English foreign teacher, bilingual class teacher, teaching assistants, and life teacher
>>Class Features：Based on the EYFS from the UK and the IEYC, we integrate Chinese language, culture, and curriculum to help pupils develop bilingual abilities and cross-cultural understanding.
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Miss Luo：18058738178（Wechat）
WASHZ
Class of Kindergarten
If we have learnt anything from the last three years, it is that we live in an ever changing and unpredictable world. We cannot know what our world will look like in 10, 15 or 20 year’s time, what jobs will be needed or what skills will ne necessary.
Topic
If we do not know what the world will look like, how can we do that? Our kindergarten curriculum is carefully designed to help children develop essential skills that will prepare them for any eventuality.
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. STEAM Education is an approach to learning which combines these subjects in order to develop inquiry, discussion and problem-solving. By combining the subjects pupils are able to make connections between concepts and ideas from different disciplines to create a deeper understanding.
01
How is STEAM incorporated into the International Early Years Curriculum?
All classes in the kindergarten follow the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) for their topic learning. The IEYC encourages many of the same skills as STEAM projects, therefore, the two styles of teaching are easily blended together. During each unit teachers will plan a STEAM project that connects with the topic. Each class will engage in 4-6 different topics throughout the year.
The projects will vary according to the needs of the children and the topic it is linked to. Some projects will be individual, some will be paired and others will be group-based. Projects follow the Plan-Do-Review cycle.
STEP 1: PLAN
Children will consider what they need to do or make. This may include:
① Discussions with the teacher or as a class
②Time for the children to consider and share their ideas
③ Children will be taught to draw and label their ideas
④ Considering the resources and tool they will need
STEP 2: DO
Children have time to complete their projects either in the classroom, specialist STEAM classroom or even outside. Children will learn to use tools including scissors, child-safe cutting knives, glue guns.
STEP 3: REVIEW
When finishing their projects pupils are encouraged to reflect on their work, consider how their finished work matches their design and consider if there are any improvements they could make.
02
Welcome to our STEAM class: Going to Space!
During our space-themed Blast Off! topic the children were introduced to and learnt about space. They learnt about the moon, the stars, and the planets. The class decided they wanted to go to space to explore it further but were stuck with the problem of how to go there?
Teachers allowed the children time to consider the problem and share their ideas. Suggestions included:
- A spaceship
- An airplane
- Climb a ladder
- A rocket
Teachers guided a vote in which all pupils could vote for one of the options in order to find the favourite. The vote was almost unanimous, all the children wanted to make a rocket.
The next step was to design the rocket. Teachers guided the discuss by encouraging the children to consider the shape. After some discussion one pupil was asked to draw the main body. Once the main shape was in place, children began noticing parts that were missing and took turns to draw them on. Once the children were happy with the design the teacher asked the pupils what resources they would need to make each part.
Further discussions followed and the class agreed that they would need four cardboard boxes, paper, tape, hot glue and tissue paper.
The final decision was what colour the rocket would be. This was more challenging as each child wanted a different colour. At this point it is easy for a teacher to jump in and make a decision, but this does not help the children to learn how to navigate difficult decisions. Instead, the teacher posed the question; “If everyone wants a difficult colour what should we do?”
It’s important at this stage to give children time to think to consider different solutions. After some time two suggestions were made, we could vote on the colour or we could paint it all the colours. The second option was met with agreement from the whole class and decision was made.
Now it was time to make the rocket. The children were very excited and eager to make the rocket but at this stage a little more teacher guidance was necessary. The teacher acts as a participant within the group offering suggestions and prompting to help guide the group to make necessary decisions.
With a little support the children were divided into groups to make different parts of the rocket. When making the rocket the children were able to freely choose the resources and equipment they needed. They had to help each other, for example, holding pieces together while another child tapes them together. Some of the equipment requires an adult to be present and help, however, decisions about where to cut or where to glue are always made by the pupils.
At last, with the rocket complete and the paint dry, the teacher asked the children to take a step back, look at the rocket and reflect on their work.
“Are you happy with the rocket?”
“Does it need anything added to it?”
“Would you like to change anything about it?”
“If you were to make it again would you do anything differently?”
03
The benefits of incorporating STEAM into our curriculum
STEAM projects offer pupils the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and learning attributes while also deepening their knowledge and understanding of new concepts. These skills include:
Teamwork and collaboration
Communication – both oral and written
Problem solving and overcoming difficulties
Risk-taking and trying new things
Creativity and imagination
Critical thinking
Examples of the knowledge gained from STEAM projects:
Understanding different materials, their properties and uses.
Learning how to use a range of techniques to join materials together.
Understanding the effects of forces and gravity.
Developing awareness of shapes and their uses.
Understanding spatial awareness.
After integrating the learning approach of the STEAM project into the IEYC, our kindergarten children have made significant progress in terms of confidence and independence.
The highly engaging thematic classrooms empower students by giving them control over their learning, allowing them to acquire knowledge from multiple perspectives, exercise their thinking skills, and stimulate their creativity. This enables children to experience the thrill of challenges and encourages them to embrace change, maintain curiosity, and be filled with confidence.
關(guān)于我們
杭州威雅學(xué)校坐落于杭州蕭山區(qū)仙女湖畔，占地面積200余畝，學(xué)校于2021年9月正式開學(xué)，為3至18歲適齡學(xué)生提供高品質(zhì)教育和寄宿選擇。
秉承全人教育理念，杭州威雅不僅專注于學(xué)生卓越學(xué)術(shù)能力的培養(yǎng)，還通過提供豐富多元的超越課堂的學(xué)習(xí)體驗(yàn)和機(jī)會(huì)，挖掘每一個(gè)學(xué)生天賦潛能，幫助他們今后順利進(jìn)入世界知名大學(xué)，并在日益全球化的環(huán)境中取得成功打下堅(jiān)實(shí)基礎(chǔ)。
ABOUT US
Wycombe Abbey School Hangzhou (WASHZ) has integrated the best of international and Chinese education for children aged 3-18 from China and overseas. We focus on each pupil's personal growth and development and aim to cultivate future leaders who have both a profound understanding of Chinese culture and a truly global perspective, who are innovators and collaborative team players, as well as having compassion and a keen sense of social responsibility.
