Introducing Elias Ji Aaroe from Year 3E

Where are you from?

I am from Norway

How long have you been at YCIS HQ?

5 years

What do you enjoy most about learning here?

I enjoy learning Maths and Topic

Tell us an interesting fact about you?

 I play soccer

Can you share a favourite quote or some words of wisdom?

“Keep calm and carry on”

 

By our School Captains – Deeraj SIVAKUMAR & Shuyu (Sophie) SHEN

Introducing Mr Benson – Year 6B Co-teacher and Year 6 Team Leader

Where are you from?

I am from the UK

How long have you been at YCIS HQ?

5 years

What do you enjoy most about teaching here?

I enjoy the fact that all the students come into class everyday excited to be here and keen to learn.  The great mixture of characters and nationalities makes teaching at YCIS really fun and fulfilling for me as a teacher.

Tell us an interesting fact about you?

Before I was a teacher I worked for an airline, traveling all around the world and being paid for it.

Can you share a favourite quote or some words of wisdom?

‘Knowledge is power’ and ‘everything happens for a reason.’

 

By our School Captains – Deeraj SIVAKUMAR & Shuyu (Sophie) SHEN

K3C children celebrated Easter with their K4B friends

In the last two months, K3C children have developed an interest in cooking. They have prepared mashed potatoes and red beans for their lunch, smoothies and fruit juice for their snack. In the last couple of weeks, this interest in cooking combined with their new and growing interest in Easter. Children engaged in Easter-related activities, songs, stories and games. They shared an Easter snack with their friends from K4B, during which they read the Easter Story and tasted hot cross buns. After the Qing Ming Festival holiday, K3C children decided to prepare their own chocolate spread and invite their K4B friends again so they could celebrate Easter together.

K3C Class Teacher – Claire Pointeau

Norwegian Visitors

 

This week Hongqiao had special visitors from Norway.  They taught a traditional Norwegian folk song to our year 5/6 students at the character education assembly and visited with students in 4A during their music class on Tuesday.

Ingrid and Else Brit, retired music teachers from Norway, were guests of Tammy Reddinger (Music Teacher) for the Qing Ming Festival holiday.  During their stay they traveled to Luoyang and Xi’an to learn about the long history here in China in addition to exploring many parts of Shanghai.

While in Shanghai, they graciously agreed to teach a folk song and share information about their home and family in the northern part of Europe.

Ingrid and Else Brit taught the children a song called “Per Spelmann” which is about a young boy who bartered his cow for a violin. After much practice, Per discovered he loved the violin and playing music brought him and others much joy!  What a nice connection for our students to associate with the violin program.

Else Brit also demonstrated a couple of folk tunes on her harmonica and jaw harp.  Both instruments are traditional folk instruments in many countries.

Because Ingrid and Else Brit were visiting on Tuesday afternoon, students in class 4A also enjoyed learning the folk song and the traditional dance to “Per Spelmann”.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn a little Norwegian culture and the Norwegian ladies were most impressed with how quickly the children learned their song in a new language.

Primary Music Teacher – Tammy Reddinger

 

Qing Ming Festival

“A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day; The mourner’s heart is going to break on his way…” Year 5 students were reciting a famous Chinese poem written by a great poet Mu DU from Tang Dynasty in their Chinese Studies Class before the Qing Ming Festival Holiday.

In class, students had an opportunity to learn about the origin of this traditional Chinese festival. In the state of Jin, a loyal Minister, Zitui JIE fed the Prince Er ZHONG with his own thigh flesh when ZHONG was starving. When the Prince wanted to repay JIE’s kindness, JIE asked for nothing, instead he said:” I hope you will be an incorruptible emperor in future.” Ten years later, Prince ZHONG became the emperor of the state. He still couldn’t forget what JIE had done for him, but JIE refused him again.  However, as time passed by, JIE and his mother tragically died in a fire on a mountain. Emperor ZHONG was very sad when he heard the news, so he named this day as ‘Qing Ming’ and ordered that  no one was allowed to have hot food on this specific day. The class was in silence after hearing this story. Students were all very touched by JIE’s loyalty because it never occurred to them before that Qing Ming Festival has such a moving story. The students were eager to know more about traditional customs about Qing Ming Festival from each slide shown on the screen. For example, during Qing Ming Festival, people usually visit graves of their late relatives, play swings, fly a kite, go hiking and eat Qing Ming cake, etc. From now on, every April 4th or April 5th when Qing Ming Festival falls, it is more than another simple day for students because they have learnt about the profound cultural meaning behind it.

 

Y5D Chinese Teacher – Hazel HUA

Primary Sports Days

  

This year Sports Days were held on three glorious days! Children participated in their houses during the morning to earn house points. There was some tremendous teamwork and encouragement taking place within the houses. It was an honour to watch. We started with Year 1 and 2 on a cold Tuesday morning. The students were very excited to participate in the different events which included, Ball Throw, Ball Balance, Javelin, Obstacle Course, Water Relay and running.

The weather heated up on Wednesday and so did the competition for the Year 3 and 4 students especially during the running races. Year 5 and 6 ordered the best day with the sun shining and blue skies.

They had to run 6 laps around the track and most of them had lots of fun pushing themselves to their limits. Congratulations to everyone who took part in this fantastic day.

The house points for all events are in the process of being added up and will be announced during the last week of term.

A big thank you goes to all the staff and parents involved.

 

Primary PE Teacher – Shane KNOX

2017 Hongqiao Campus Performance Events

SPRING

Y2 Violin Assembly:

Time & Date: 1:00p.m. 26 April (Wednesday) Performed by: All Year 2 students

Venue: Hongqiao Campus B Building 4 Floor Hall

Y3 Violin Assembly:

Time & Date: 1:00p.m. 27 April (Thursday) Performed by: All Year 3 students

Venue: Hongqiao Campus B Building 4 Floor Hall

SUMMER

Year 1 Summer Concert

Time & Date: 1:00p.m. 7 June (Wednesday) Performed by: All Year 1 students

Venue: Hongqiao Campus B Building 4 Floor Hall

The concert will include a variety of items from all Year 1 students together with specialist contributions: Year 1 Class items, Violin items, Solo items, etc.

Primary Summer Concert (all our families are invited to attend)

Time & Date: 6:30p.m. 20 June (Tuesday) Performed by: Students who attend music A.S.A.P

Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall

The music night will include Primary Orchestra, String Ensemble, Choir, Instrumental solo and Dance items, etc.

ECE – K4 Celebration Assembly

Time & Date: 1:00p.m. 23 June (Friday)

Venue: Hongqiao Campus B Building 4 Floor Hall

Music Education Coordinator – Cherry CHEN

Rewarding Seeds of Hope Trip to Qufu

 

On 14-17 March, we travelled with some students and teachers from Gubei campus, and Mr. Perks (School Chaplain), to a school in a village outside Qufu, Shandong Province. During our three days there, we spent time with the local students in the classroom and the playground. Mr. Jones had a lot of fun making balloon-powered cars with classes in Y1-5. Each child made their own car and took it home with them. Outside the school, we visited the family home of Confucius and the Confucius temple. We also ate delicious local food and walked across a famous Bridge. Thanks to Seeds of Hope and Mr. Perks for organising such a great trip for all of us!

 

Y4F Class Teacher – Jake JONES

Use of Campus Grounds After School

Children are most welcome to use the Oval and Playground with a supervising adult.

Children should be collected from ‘pick-up’ classrooms as soon after 3:25p.m. as possible and by 3:30 p.m. at the latest.

Once children have safely boarded buses and been collected by parents, staff then have other matters to attend to (meetings, interviews, planning) and are not available to supervise children.

When children have been collected from classrooms by parents (or ayis, drivers) it is very important that these people take full responsibility for the child/ren, their safety and appropriate behaviour.

As such, please note:

• The out-door playground may be used, but the parent (ayi) needs to supervise the child and make sure they are playing in a safe, fair and quiet way.

• The field (if not being used for a school activity) may be used, but please make sure the soccer goals are not being damaged by the children.

• Other areas of the school are not for playing and this includes the ‘blue quad’ in the ‘A’ building, garden areas and inside any of the buildings, including the Gym.

ECE & Primary Co-Principals – Mr. Andrew MELLOR & Ms. Weiky CHANG

ASAPs Finish Date

20162017 Hongqiao Campus ASAPs Session Two will finish on 5 May and Music ASAPs will finish at THE following time:

 

1 June:  Hip Hop, Bamboo Flute, Zumba

6 June:  Drum Ket, Jazz Dance, Y3-Y6 Chinese Dance

8 June:  Senior Choir

9 June:  Y1-Y2 Chinese Dance, Ballet, Latin Dance, HQ Orchestra

13 June: Junior Choir

14 June: Ensemble