Like seeds meeting fertile soil, like streams merging into the ocean – this August, we meet because of education.
Those who stand on the podium must first be lifelong learners – welcome, new educational dreamers of SUIS Qingpu! To help you quickly integrate into the SUIS education ecosystem, the centre and the school have meticulously crafted this onboarding journey. Integration is never a one-sided adaptation, but a mutual enrichment of our educational lives. With this carefully designed training as the prologue, we invite you to embark on a two-way dialogue about growth – those focused eyes, sparking ideas, and knowing smiles are the most beautiful footnotes to the SUIS education ecosystem.
Highlights of the Training Review
(1) Training for New Chinese Teachers: Comprehensive Empowerment, Deepening School Development
Solidifying Foundations, Integrating best practice into the School
On the first day, the new teachers experienced the ‘efficiency and warmth’ of SUIS Qingpu! The administrative team provided hands-on guidance to help everyone quickly familiarise themselves with the campus’s intelligent system. Professional photographers captured onboarding portraits, preserving the confident smiles of each new teacher at the start of their teaching careers. Each school, reflecting its unique teaching characteristics and operational needs, conducted tailored training: from daily teaching norms and curriculum design principles to team collaboration strategies and student management methods. The experience shared by senior teachers prompted the new arrivals to exclaim, ‘It was full of practical insights!’
All Chinese teachers attended the SUIS Gubei Campus for the ‘SUIS First Lesson’ keynote sharing session. The curriculum roundtable forum showcased the teaching wisdom from various campuses within the Xiehe Education network. Through case demonstrations and interactive exchanges, it presented the innovative outcomes of the SUIS characteristic curriculum system, providing diverse inspiration for new teachers’ curriculum design. In the afternoon, all new teachers, both Chinese and foreign, successfully gathered at the Gubei Campus to participate in a specially planned workshop training by Xiehe. During the session, teachers independently chose suitable workshop topics based on their teaching fields and development needs. Through theme sharing and in-depth discussions, both Chinese and foreign new teachers actively exchanged educational concepts and shared practical experiences, fostering stimulating ideological collisions. This not only deepened their understanding of the SUIS education system but also accumulated practical methods and strategies, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent enhancement of their professional abilities and the high-quality development of their teaching work.
(2) Training for New Foreign Teachers: Getting to Know SUIS Qingpu, Experiencing the Charm of Shanghai
Registration and Departure, Cultural Ice-breaking
In the early morning, foreign teachers set off from the Qingpu Campus to the Xiehe Education Center for new foreign teacher training, systematically studying Xiehe’s various policies and guidelines while clarifying work standards and codes of conduct. When foreign teachers encountered ‘Old Shanghai,’ they experienced the historical heritage and cultural charm of the city through the immersive performance ‘Everlasting Regret’. Interactive games enhanced mutual understanding, quickly breaking the initial awkwardness and fostering warm team friendships. The night cruise on the Huangpu River, accompanied by the dazzling riverside lights and the cool river breeze, made everyone exclaim, “This is the magic of Shanghai!”
Integrating into the Campus, Clarifying Guarantees
At the opening of the welcome meeting, Co-Principal Adam delivered a warm and sincere speech to welcome all foreign teachers, allowing everyone to truly feel the inclusiveness and warmth of SUIS Qingpu. Subsequently, the administrative department and the ICT team conducted training sessions covering everything from the operation of the campus’ WeCom system and the use of a range of education technology tools to the administrative affairs process. They carefully explained the tools and methods needed for daily work. CPC Secretary of Branch Cindy Zhang Yun provided a comprehensive introduction to the school’s staff welfare system – encompassing union activities, nutritious meals, housing rental, and other support services – allowing foreign teachers to genuinely appreciate the school’s commitment to their well-being. Led by Principal Adam, foreign teachers embarked on an in-depth campus tour: from teaching buildings and laboratories to gymnasiums and libraries, including Guoxiang Academy, they learned about the functional layout and usage norms of each area, familiarising themselves with the environment for their future work and lives.
Walking Hand in Hand, Embarking on a New Educational Journey
This training marked the first in-depth dialogue between Chinese and foreign new teachers and SUIS Qingpu, serving as a beautiful beginning to a new career journey. We are fortunate to meet all our excellent new colleagues and witness your transformation from ‘getting to know SUIS Qingpu’ to ‘integrating into SUIS Qingpu.’ From here, let the light of education illuminate new possibilities! Training is merely the starting point; the real story has just begun. May every new teacher, on the podium of SUIS Qingpu, not only impart knowledge but also ignite dreams – for the significance of education has never been confined to the classroom.
August 14th: Deepening Concepts, Broadening Perspectives