The new semester is well underway, and as such it seems like the perfect opportunity to visit one of MCF’s most established schools; the East School. Migrant schools tend to be on the outskirts of the city, and as we travelled from the subway station to the East school it was as if we weren’t even in Beijing anymore. There were fields with crops growing, and it looked almost like a farming town – a far cry from the built up metropolis of central Beijing.
When we arrived at the school, MCF’s Session Coordinator Lizzie made sure everyone was set up and in the right place. It was a smooth operation, with our volunteer teachers being handed meticulously thought out lesson plans created by Curriculum Coordinator Lorna. The teachers entered their classrooms with an abundance of enthusiasm; something the young students welcomed (especially as it was a Saturday morning!). This session was also the first time that a group of volunteers from the University of International Business and Economics led a session on their own – everyone agreed they did a fantastic job and once again we thank them for giving up their time! Speaking after the session, Lizzie said there was “great energy from the volunteers and the students, and it was all topped off by some nice sunny weather.”
In our beginner level MCF English classes the students practiced a double whammy of English and numbers, with games such as ‘higher or lower’ injecting lots of fun into the proceedings. The students practiced reading and learned new consonants, reinforcing their new knowledge with an interactive board game. It ended with a beautiful rendition of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. To our bemusement, we learned that there are in fact different versions of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, with a Canadian volunteer singing a different tune to a British and Zimbabwean volunteer – you learn something new everyday with MCF!
In our more advanced MCF classes the eager students learned more extensive grammar. They spoke about opinions, and it became clear that all 9 year olds are the same with various students piping up with “my friend doesn’t like boys”, “my friend doesn’t like girls” when talking about ‘likes and dislikes’. The students also practiced their reading, and while it was cute watching them crowd around the teacher and their one book, it would be great if we could provide more books in our classes. If you do have some books to spare, please do consider donating them to MCF (you can email us at books@mcfchina.org).
Our much-loved supporters Beijing World Youth Academy (BYWA) were back, and giving as interesting classes as ever to the students. They taught art, photography and English to older kids. The BYWA photography class was extensive and included learning about structure and composition. It was both theoretical and practical as the students got to practice their new skills by taking their own photos. Angela Pan leads the class, and she said it was “great because the kids are older so they can do more technical work”.
BYWA also provided their own English class to the students. It was a glorious day and they made the most of it by taking the students to the playground to practice telling the time. The sun was shining, and the students were screaming with delight – clearly a lot of fun was had!
All in all, it was a jam-packed morning and everyone left having gained something. The students had practiced their English (as well as art and photography!) and the volunteer teachers had been able to give a little back to their community. As a slightly biased observer, it was the perfect blend of education and fun.