Student Life
Educating the Whole Child
The Western Academy of Beijing seeks to develop the intellectual, social, emotional, physical and aesthetic potential of each child along with moral sensitivity. Our program provides students with a fundamental respect for the beliefs and values of other people and takes full advantage of the culture of our host country, China. Some of the ways we do this include:
WABX Program
WAB provides extensive extra curricular activities through its WABX program. A large range of quality activities are available to cater for the interests and needs of students. These may be conducted during lunchtimes, after school and on weekends.
The recreation program focuses on the social needs of expatriate students in Beijing and endeavours to provide a range of interesting activities that promote an active lifestyle and provide support for students making positive lifestyle choices. In addition, activities aim to provide opportunity for the development of leadership skills. Encouraging meaningful interaction with students from local Chinese schools is an integral part of the WABX program.
Elementary School students may choose to participate in the following:
- Choir and Band (full year commitment);
- Swim Team;
- After School Activity Program (one eight week block commitment per term);
- Home Language Classes – offers vary from year to year;
- Open Library until 4:30pm daily for Grades 3, 4, 5;
- Social activities including movie nights and discos;
- Instrumental Music lessons in strings, woodwind, brass (full year commitment).
China Engagement
As part of WAB’s core value of China-Global Coherence, the school is committed to providing opportunities for students to engage with their host country, China in an authentic and meaningful way.
Interactions, with members of the Chinese community within WAB, in the neighbourhood and in Beijing form an integral part of the Elementary School Curriculum. They provide genuine opportunities for students to develop and use Chinese language for real purposes and through learning more about Chinese culture and society, to develop understanding of globally significant themes. China is considered a key platform for learning, providing opportunities for real life investigations and experiences that cannot be replicated in the classroom.
Field trips and in-school visits are woven through transdisciplinary and single subject units of inquiry with an emphasis on students developing connections to people and issues in a richer and more meaningful way than they might do as tourists. This may take the form of service where the focus is on genuine service developed through collaboration with local groups and individuals. These opportunities are planned to be developmentally appropriate and also to be responsive to the needs identified through students’ inquiries. As such they will change from year to year.
Grade 5 Exhibition which frames a project that represents WAB’s beliefs about China engagement. As part of their studies, students inquire into the school neighbourhood and through their inquiry identify ways in which they can work with local Chinese communities and organizations to deal with the real life issues affecting them. In collaboration with these local groups the students form teams and plan positive action they can take to improve these issues.
Student Leadership
Elementary School students at WAB are encouraged to be involved and responsible from an early age. Classrooms commonly conduct class meetings where democratic decision making and a genuine “student voice” is supported in a warm and caring environment guided by significant school adults.
As students progress through the grades, they have the opportunity to volunteer for pastoral programs such as ‘Big Brother, Big Sister’, Peer Mediation, which focuses on ‘kids helping kids’ to become the best that they can be.
Student representation is woven into WAB programs. Curricular and organizational structures demonstrate the PYP attitudes of independence, respect, tolerance, integrity and they also encourage students to demonstrate leadership.
In Grade 5, through participation in the Grade 5 Camp and the inquiry process leading to the Grade 5 Exhibition, students have opportunities to develop
|
