Have you ever wondered if there is a school that inspires a well-rounded interest in your child, offers them every possibility they want to try, and makes them the best they can be? A successful school should cultivate future talents with comprehensive development. How can children's interests be stimulated and nurtured in various aspects?
Today we have invited Zoey, a founding pupil of Hiba Academy Nantong in Grade 6, to share her exciting story of growing up here and experiencing the boundless energy she has developed in this land.
A wide range of hobbies and passions
Zoey has a wide range of hobbies: she loves crafts and has a workshop with her mother; she likes to visit museums in different cities to experience the culture and history of that city; she likes to go trekking and challenge herself in Anago, Yunnan at an altitude of 3800m; she also likes painting, photography, tennis and guitar. Zoey is like a shining star and everyone can feel the light of her " passion".
Zoey shared with us that her hobbies have continued to develop at school, especially her favourite Design and Technology course. Unlike her previous school, she was surprised to learn that we have such a specialist woodworking classroom.
In addition, the co-curricular activity programme (CCA) has given her the opportunity to develop her hobbies and interests. In the Young Leaders programme, she worked with her classmates to design a sports programme for the nursery school children, which was well received by them; in the debating CCA, she had a little setback but gained a wealth of debating skills. As Zoey's mother shared with us: Zoey enjoys her time at Hiba Academy Nantong, she likes to try new and challenging things and Hiba Academy Nantong has given her full support.
Continuous growth
As a founding pupil of Hiba Academy Nantong, Zoey looks back on the past year of her studies and feels that she has gained a lot. She has tried many new things that she has not done before: starting a newspaper, giving speeches at school assemblies, and recruiting newspaper members and selling her handmade work at the Chinese New Year Temple Fair.
With the help and support of her teachers, she continues to explore her potential and learn new skills: making videos, presenting summaries in PPT, using computer software for newspaper layout, learning Chinese drums for the International Chinese Festival etc.
Zoey also has a new perception of learning. She believes that learning is more than just listening to lectures, writing homework, and taking exams. Doing experiments in science class is learning; making contour maps out of potatoes in Chinese Social Studies is learning; debating various philosophical theories in English Social Studies is learning. Learning is no longer a boring and serious thing, but in the classroom at Hiba Academy Nantong it can be fun and surprising in a variety of ways.
In addition to the above, Zoey feels that she has gained more from her time at Hiba Academy Nantong than she could ever learn from a textbook. She has learnt more about time management, self-management, communication with others, the ability to integrate resources, and she has become better at teamwork, listening and understanding others. Her bicultural thinking, independent thinking skills and critical thinking skills have all developed and progressed significantly.
Through our conversation with Zoey, we felt her passion for her hobbies, life, and learning. We hope that she will continue to develop at Hiba Academy Nantong and earn some well-deserved success.
