Raising globally competent leaders is an integral part of our Mission at Yew Chung International School of Beijing. Our Co-Teaching Model, unique to our school, supports our goal to create an environment that exposes children to the concept of multiculturalism and bilingualism from as early as the Early Childhood Education (ECE) through Primary School years. Based on the positive results this has yielded in our earlier years, the Co-Teaching Model will now be gradually introduced to our Secondary School.

Dr Rae Wang, Chinese Vice Principal, an experienced and qualified educator, shed light on why this approach is important to YCIS Beijing. “At YCIS we take on a proactive role to create a model that we call bilingual and bicultural. The Co-Teaching Model is a very important asset to implement this mission.” With classrooms led by a fully qualified Chinese and an international teacher, who plan and teach collaboratively, students are continually exposed to different approaches and angles which support international mindedness.

Our younger students are co-taught from ECE and all the way through Primary School. This is because these are important years where habits and a foundation are set for them to blossom for the rest of their academic and social lives. During these years, students are given the necessary academic and life skills such as working collaboratively that will enable them to succeed in future.

Due to the academic requirements in Secondary School and the prioritization of IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme, the Co-Teaching Model was trialed in Year 7. “Our school has a very good reputation for the Co-Teaching Model in Primary School, which has been recognised by UNESCO since the 80’s. Therefore this prompted us to gradually introduce the model in Secondary School too,” Dr Wang stated.

Another important reason why the model was introduced to Secondary School is “to support the bilingual and bicultural environment in Secondary School” she added. Subjects such as Maths, Humanities and Science are some of the subjects that will be co-taught.

Dr Wang firmly believes the Co-Teaching Model also allows for the hidden curriculum (the unintended and unofficial outcomes of learning) to be in full effect as students tend to gain and learn better in natural social settings that are not formally designed. “Co-Teaching Model provides an opportunity for teachers to provide a live interpretation of international mindedness, not only a concept,” she concluded.

Because our community consists of multiple cultures, it is also crucial that we do not restrict our students to one culture or country. By implementing the Co-Teaching Model, we provide an environment that models the kind of world we would like our students to live and thrive in.