QSI International School of Shenzhen (QSI) prepares students to succeed. Your child may take the Advanced Placement Programme or International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme before venturing to top universities around the world. And there are many more reasons why this is the ideal school for your child. “If you’re looking for small class sizes, students-centred learning, mastery learning, success orientations, really following that ‘success for all’ model, this is the school for your children,” says teacher Alesia Fleming-Dunn.
This non-profit school has around 1000 students from over 35 different nationalities, creating a unique environment that brings together many cultures and traditions. In fact, QSI provides a wide variety of programmes, from instrumental music to Genius Hours, so that students may explore different paths and find the one that best suits their strengths. For example, in grade 5, four different music tracks are available: general music, band class (wind instruments), strings, and vocals. This variety takes into account how each child is different and has different interests.
It is for this reason that Homeroom teacher for nine-year-olds Amanda Butler enrolled her child at QSIl. The Mastery Learning model enables your child to learn more than they would through traditional schooling methods. Instead of aiming just to pass their courses, students are encouraged to master 100% of the course content. “That is exactly what my oldest daughter needed,” says Butler. “I appreciate most the opportunity for my daughter to take her time, slow down, and redo anything as needed.”
For Homeroom teacher for 11-year-olds Cindy Chen, QSI’s programme is familiar and effective. She recalls how being given the opportunity to have multiple tries truly allowed her to grasp her subjects in their entirety. “As a former student, I’ve been through the Mastery Learning model, and I know that it is very helpful for all students actually to have that chance and method to display their learning,” Chen says. “So then, as a teacher, I would go into planning and think about the different ways and different needs that students will need to best present and demonstrate their learning.”
Languages are big at QSI. While subjects are taught in English, the school has one of the largest varieties of language courses. Your child will learn Chinese until grade eight (13 years old) from professional, native Chinese language instructors. From grade one (age six), Spanish, French, and Korean are offered, and from grade three (age eight), the options include German and Japanese. “You have the perfect environment for a child to speak different languages, to learn from different cultures, and to learn from different perspectives,” says Oscar Merchant, Spanish teacher. “Education is not only about academics. Education is about how you understand the world where you live and the people you interact with.”
The mix of cultures and languages ensures that your child will have a global mindset. “I think it allows [my daughter] to meet people from around the world,” adds Butler. “And that, for me, is huge because you grow up sometimes in societies that only focus on one culture and one background. But here at QSI, she can literally see the world within one classroom.”
Another emphasis at QSI is your child’s emotional well-being and overall development. It is a holistic look at ensuring that your child becomes a kind and good person when they go out into society. “So they’ll learn about the value of trustworthiness, teamwork, responsibility, all these 21st-century skills and all the life skills that you’ll need when you leave school,” says Lee Prescott, Homeroom teacher for 11-year-olds. “We’re always told to promote these in the class, not just for the assemblies, but whenever you see it in class.”
While the big picture is important, teachers make it a point to celebrate small wins too. “Rather than it being a big highlighted moment for me as a teacher, the thing that I cherish the most is those small, consistent moments of success that start at the beginning of a school year and don’t really stop until the students leave in June,” says Richard Howard, athletic director.
At QSI, success for all is more than just a slogan. It is about personal habits, the ability to interact successfully with others, reliability, responsibility, diligent work habits, promptness, keeping your word, kindness, and more. As the world evolves, the education system at the school moves along with it to ensure that your child is equipped with all they need to succeed. “Education is a changing process,” says Merchant. “It is not static, it is dynamic. QSI’s environment helps children to go at the pace that education goes. It means it is adjustable and changing all the time.”
Learn more about QSI International School of Shenzhen here.
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