February 2015 Choices, Choices, Choices Finding the right school for your family Do Your Homework Profiles of 65 Beijing schools Learning Curve Wrap your head around different curricula Every Mao Counts Candid talk about money matters And more! 《中国妇女》英文刊 2015 年 2 月（下半月） WOMEN OF CHINA English Monthly WOMEN OF CHINA English Monthly Sponsored and administrated by ALL-CHINA WOMEN’S FEDERATION 中华全国妇女联合会主管/主办 Published by WOMEN’S FOREIGN LANGUAGE PUBLICATIONS OF CHINA 中国妇女外文期刊社出版 Publishing Date: February 1, 2015 本期出版时间: 2015年2月1日 Adviser 顾 问 彭 云 PENG PEIYUN 全国人大常委会前副委员长 Former Vice-Chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee Adviser 顾 问 顾秀莲 GU XIULIAN 全国人大常委会前副委员长 Former Vice-Chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee Director and Editor-in-Chief 社长 · 总编辑 Yun Pengju 恽鹏举 Chief Editor 主编 Wei Liang 位亮 Managing Editor Sijia Chen Deputy Managing Editor Aisling O’Brien School Editor Yvette Ferrari Web Editor Nimo Wanjau Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson Editorial Consultant 编辑顾问 ROBERT MILLER (Canadian) 罗伯特 · 米勒 (加拿大) Director of Sales Department 广告发行经营部主任 XIA WEI 夏巍 Tel 电话 5779 8877 Legal Adviser 法律顾问 LI XUESEN 李雪森 Advertising Agency Immersion International Advertising (Beijing) Co., Limited 广告代理 深度体验国际广告(北京)有限公司 Advertising Hotlines 广告热线 5941 0368/69/72/77/78/79 Printing 印刷 TOPPAN LEEFUNG CHANGCHENG PRINTING (BEIJING) CO., LTD. 北京利丰雅高长城印刷有限公司 Address 本刊地址 WOMEN OF CHINA English Monthly 《中国妇女》英文月刊 15 Jianguomennei Dajie, Beijing 100730, China 中国北京建国门内大街15号 邮编:100730 国际标准刊号 ISSN1000 9388 国内统一刊号 CN11-1704/C The beijingkids Board A Publication of True Run Media 出版制作 Advertising Agency Immersion International Advertising (Beijing) Co., Limited 广告代理 深度体验国际广告（北京）有限公司 Telephone/电话: 5779 8877 Advertising Hotlines/广告热线： 5941 0368/69/72/77/78/79 General Manager Michael Wester Operations Manager Toni Ma Managing Editor Sijia Chen Deputy Managing Editor Aisling O’Brien School Editor Yvette Ferrari Web Editor Nimo Wanjau Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson Marketing Manager Shana Zhang beijingkids Brand Manager Victoria Yang Art Director Susu Luo Production Manager Joey Guo Principal Designer and Illustrator Crystal Liu Advertising Designer Yuki Jia Photographers Sui, Ken, Serena Xu Ning, Uni You Sales Director Ivy Wang Sales Team Coordinator Luo Yi Sales Team Sheena Hu, Winter Liu, Amy Sun, Maggie Zhang, Sasha Zhang Sales Assistant Gladys Tang IT Team Yan Wen, Arvi Lefevre Finance Judy Zhao, Liu Mengya HR & Admin Tobal Loyola, Siyu He, Zhao Fengjuan Distribution Cao Zheng General Inquiries 5779 8877 Editorial 5779 5389/90 Distribution 5941 5387 Contact: General information: [email protected] Editorial: [email protected] Sales: [email protected] Marketing: [email protected] Distribution: [email protected] Directories: [email protected] beijingkids School Choice Guide 2015-2016 CONTENTS FEATURES 8 How Do I Choose a School for My Child? Experts and parents weigh in on the top factors to consider 12 Class Acts Making sense of Beijing’s educational systems 24 Balancing the Books Theresa Ahdieh tackles education without an educational allowance 28 Starting Fresh Understanding school air pollution policies SCHOOL PROFILES 34 Schools by Alphabetical Order 35 Schools by Grades Offered 36 Schools by Area 37 Schools by Curriculum 24 DIRECTORIES 106 After-School Sports & Activities 109 Educational Services 110 Other Schools FAMILY FAVORITES 112 Family Focus The Schussel family 28 ON THE COVER: Nareh Elizabeth Wilson (age 5) is a student at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB). Her favorite subject is art, and she loves reading and writing. Nareh had a hard time deciding which teacher she likes best; in the end, she said she loves them all (Ms. Lani, Ms. Paula, Ms. Lisa, and all the rest). “As a parent, I highly appreciate the care the teachers show to every child,” says her mom, Svetlana. “A great thing we have at school is the variety of after-school activities. Nareh attends the ballet class and absolutely loves it.” Photo by Mishka Family Photography 112 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K C M Y CM MY CY CMY K FEATURES How Do I Choose a School for My Child? Taking your first steps towards answering the million-dollar question by Sijia Chen ne of the perennial questions we get from readers and February or March. Many parents initially come to Beijing on a "look- families moving to Beijing is "How do I choose a school for see" tour guided by their relocation company, which often involves my kids?" It's a huge, tangled, and often emotional topic, cramming visits to several schools and apartments within a matter Oprovoking heated debate on parenting forums like Beijing of days. Having a clear idea of what you're looking for helps narrow Mamas. If there's one thing we learned while researching this article, down the choices and visiting sooner rather than later can help allay it's that the reasons are varied, complex, and deeply personal. fears about adapting to a new country. Though we can't tell you which Most international schools begin the academic year in mid- to late choice is right for your family, we hope to at least offer a starting point August. Admissions departments usually recommend researching for those who are just embarking on their search. schools at least six months in advance and visiting no later than Individual Aptitudes It may be your child's individual talents, interests, and end of the day I make the decision,'" says Visscher. personality that turn out to be the deciding factor. When Visscher’s colleague, Choon Eichman, is currently a asked how much children should be involved in the decision marketing associate at the school. Prior to this, she worked process, Gea Visscher, a child and educational psychologist at in the Admissions department ever since DCB opened in Dulwich College Beijing (DCB), says it depends on age. "Of 2005. During her tenure, the office processed over 4,000 course, older children should be involved. At the same time, applications. Eichman shares the story of an American family you are the parent and in the end you make the decision. You that visited DCB in July. They had a son entering Year 12 – an know your child and you can anticipate things in the future. exam year for the IGCSE. "I was very upfront about what we Children, in particular teenagers, make emotional decisions." offer and that it would be hard work coming in," she says. Visscher, who is originally from the Netherlands, is also the "In the end, he chose our school. I'm sure they discussed it head of learning support for the Senior School and the head together and he had some input. In that situation, I think it of the Student Services Center. was fair. He was old enough to make that choice." If you do want your child to be involved in the thinking Each school has its own strengths. If your child is process, make their participation meaningful. If they’re able to musical, for example, they might feel at home at DCB with join for the school visit, ask them to come up with questions its soundproof practice rooms, iMac music composition suite, for teachers, admissions officers, or current students. See if the range of music ASAs, international school music festivals, Admissions department can arrange for them to meet people and Musician in Residence program. If they're athletic, any within the school so they can gather their nformation and form number of the larger international schools have a range of their own conclusions. "You can ask for their impressions and extracurricular sports and teams that compete in inter-school observations, but always make clear before everything that 'I tournaments like ACAMIS, APAC, and ISAC. highly value your input and I really take it seriously, but at the 8 beijingkids School Choice Guide 2015-2016 FEATURES "I love parents who ask a lot of good questions because they are thinking parents. You have the hardware and the software, and the software is so much more important" Educational Goals “A lot of parents would like their children to learn Chinese, so Eichman likes to ask them about educational goals for their kids. some may choose to go to a Chinese school first or a bilingual "Do you like structure or do you like the free-and-easy flow type of school,” says Eichman. school? Do you like American-style or British-style education?" "At the end of the day, where do I want to send my child for "Think about short-term and long-term educational planning university?" she asks. "If it's an English-speaking environment, for your child," adds Visscher. "Look at how your child has been you have to make the transition earlier rather than later." She doing thus far at their school. When you think about it, combine speaks from personal experience. Eichman is from Singapore and that and reflect on your child as a unique individual. I think that her husband is American; they decided to send their two sons to a all of us at the international schools highly value working with local Chinese school before switching them to DCB in Grade 5. parents." When parents are not sure what they're looking for in a school, Student Support Curriculum Services If you're considering a school with a curriculum that you're There’s more and more recognition for the importance of not familiar with, it's crucial to ask questions about what catering to the social and emotional needs of students. For the school is teaching and how they are teaching it. "In the instance, “pastoral care" is the term that DCB uses for the end, you have to guide and coach your child with adjusting individual student care and support.