Are you ready for your first challenge in junior middle school? --Wanhui Junior takes his first step into secondary school

Published：2022-11-25 09:13:28

1. Tiered teaching categorised electives 

In order to fully cater for the developmental differences between students and to develop their thinking skills mathematics and English are taught in a tiered manner. In the tiered classroom, we focus more on consolidating basic knowledge and building up self-confidence, with certain extension exercises and more autonomy under the premise of solid foundation; students are more active and enthusiastic in speaking up and gradually develop good learning habits of daring to ask and knowing how to ask.

The special school-based courses such as Home Economics, Pottery and Metal & Woodworking and more than ten kinds of interest club and sport classes such as tennis, equestrian, swimming and bridge allow students to choose their own options according to their interests, so that they can develop in all aspects.

2. Tutor-led Customised coaching 

Teachers make use of classroom and evening study time to answer questions and solve problems for students. In the office, corridors and break areas, teachers are always available for one-to-one tutorials, answering questions, doing calculations, explaining or talking to each other.

The homework is done in the classroom on a daily basis and a weekly basis so that the daily knowledge is inventoried and recorded and individual tutorials are held every day to help students form their own individual records books.

When you open a book of students' homework, you can see the teacher's comments, with grade ratings, initial reviews and critiques, as well as personalised and graded homework corrections. Accurate marking provides a basis for precise teaching and answering of questions; timely feedback facilitates students to check and fill in gaps, consolidate what they have learnt and stimulate their learning initiative and motivation.

Students choose their own tutors, so that every student has a "confidante” Each tutor is required to understand the basic situation of the student, pay attention to the dynamic development of the student, analyse the student's likes and dislikes, and provide all-round, comprehensive and targeted counselling in the areas of ideological psychological and academic guidance. With professional and personalised educational support and "personalised" programmes, students are more determined to work hard and are more motivated to achieve their goals.

3. Researching and Developing together, regulated management  

In order to conduct the regular work of the first year more smoothly our school regularly holds grade work meetings, class teacher analysis meetings, class subject team collaboration meetings and results analysis meetings to further refine the daily discipline management of students, the management of classroom learning style and the daily teaching of teachers.

Listening to and evaluating lessons is an important way for teachers to learn from each other and optimise their teaching. Our school actively promotes regular listening to lessons in the first year, ensuring teachers work on their regular lessons and create efficient classes. Headteacher Shen Bin went into each class to listen to the lessons, carefully capturing every detail of the classroom, answering teachers' questions and offering suggestions for teachers to improve. The subject teachers listened to each other, thinking in listening and researching in evaluating and working together to create a solid classroom by learning from each other's strengths and shared resources.

4. Establishing rules to become virtues in action  

In the first year, we take the strengthening of classroom management as a priority and use a variety of moral education activities as a conduit to create a good nurturing environment. The teachers and students work together to design six small activities for the year: reading, running, singing, home work and group mindfulness, so that students can learn to study, learn to be disciplined, to take care of themselves and to interact.

Home practice requires students to tidy up, classroom hygiene and bedroom chores in school and to carry out a competition for the most beautiful bedrooms; students are encouraged to actively participate in practical activities at home and in the community to cultivate their labour habits, promote the integration of knowledge and enhance their sense of social responsibility.

Group mindfulness allows students to observe, learn and experience group activities to develop a positive attitude towards problems, build confidence, explore their potential and develop a sound personality. The year also has special awards for diligence, punctuality, practice and ethics and a group points system which greatly motivates students to learn.

5.Home and School Education together 

Sukhomlinsky once said, "School education without family education, and family education without school education cannot accomplish such an extremely delicate task as training people." Therefore by strengthening communication between home and school and forming a synergy between home and school education can we give full play to the function of collaborative education between home and school. Parents' open days and parent-teacher conferences are a key for parents to understand their children and to appreciate the value of home-school co-education.

Parents of first year students come into the classroom to attend a lesson with their children and to hear the dialogue between the teachers and the students from Wanhui from a distance. For parents, it is an experience and a reassurance. By seeing the classroom first-hand, parents can see and recognise the professional performance of the teachers and build up a respectful and trusting relationship between home and school thus putting their children's school life more at ease.

At the parents' meeting subject teachers, class teachers and year group leaders give summary feedback on academic performance, classroom performance, student discipline and life, in-depth explanations on future education and teaching initiatives and professional advice to parents on ways to educate their children.

Parents and friends have also been proactive in helping the Year by participating in the Year's Heart and Soul activities. At the Music Museum, the father of first year student Ma Miaosen presented the school with a collection of music-related equipment and cassettes and acted as the speaker for the session using his own collection to talk in depth about the ever-changing nature of our great country and the road to cultural confidence. The first year students' social practice and international outlook will also be expanded with the help of their parents and friends into technology, colleges, communities and all walks of life to give wings to their aspirations!

As the ancients say, “those who are not of good moral character cannot be far-reaching; those who are not of great talent cannot be widely seen”. The first year at Wan Hui School will continue to aim for the all-round development of our students, so that they can be positive, healthy, upwardly mobile, and good-spirited through the first challenges of their secondary school careers and to help them grow!