Jing Educators Award 2020: Science Educators

Advertisement

Following the 2020 Jingkids International School Expo (JISE) in October last year, which brought together more than 70 schools, daycares, and educational centers, we'd like to acknowledge the people who make those schools and institutions truly great. Many of Beijing’s esteemed international schools submitted their nominations for the Jing Educators Award 2020, celebrating those who dedicate themselves to education, create innovative learning experiences, and maintain outstanding environments for our kids to study in. In this #JingEdAwards series, we’ll share these committed individuals and why they were nominated.

This category celebrates the teachers that coax students through those most essential — and also often trickiest — of subjects: sciences. The nominees in this category drawn on their own exceptional educational backgrounds to offer illuminating lessons on biology, physics, and beyond.

Name: Xena Liu 刘喜平
Position: Biology Teacher, Secondary Science Department
School: Beijing Haidian Kaiwen Academy

Xena Liu is a biology teacher in the secondary science department of Beijing Haidian Kaiwen Academy. Xena obtained a master’s degree in molecular biology with a full scholarship from Purdue University. During her time at school, she has several scientific papers published in international journals. After graduation, she chose to return to teaching to inspire more students to explore science. She has been teaching A-level and AP for nearly 10 years.

As the advisory teacher for the first batch of graduates of Haidian Kaiwen Academy, she has made outstanding achievements in both advisory work and subject teaching. She actively implements interdisciplinary practice and project-based learning in her day-to-day classroom teaching and attempts to break down the barrier between classroom teaching and everyday life. She guides students to experience science and explore unknown fields through various projects carried out on campus or on field trips. She helps students to understand the relationship between science, technology, and society and teaches students to be willing to cooperate with others and live in harmony with the environment. Through the extension of science knowledge, Xena hopes to inspire students to think more about life, give them positive guidance, and make each student a strong and energetic person.

Name: Jin Shunyu 金顺玉
Position: AS & A2 Level Biology teacher
School: Beijing New Talent Academy (BNTA)

Jin Shunyu has a doctorate from the Chinese Academy of Forestry, majoring in molecular biology. Since 2009, she has been working in the Cambridge International Center of Beijing New Talent Academy. As a backbone biology teacher, she has been teaching IGCSE and A-level biology courses of the CAIE Examination Bureau for 11 years. Students who have graduated from her class have gone on to enroll in Imperial College London, University College of London, The University of Edinburgh, and McGill University in Montreal to study majors including physiology, biochemistry, biological science, biology, biopharmaceuticals, and pharmaceutical engineering. She has trained students to participate in various biology competitions held in the UK, US, and Australia. Her students have won silver and bronze medals and other outstanding awards in the British Biology Olympiad. She led the creation of a biology club to expand students’ knowledge and encourage them to be interested in biological technology.

Advertisement

Name: Stephen Kaye
Position: Senior School Assistant Head: Data and Organisation; Physics Teacher
School: Dulwich College Beijing (DCB)

Stephen has a degree in physics from the University of Durham and a post-graduate certificate in secondary education from the University of Sunderland. He started his teaching career in the UK at George Stephenson High School in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne before venturing overseas to his first teaching role at Beijing Hui Jia High School in 2007 where he first began teaching the IB diploma and became Head of Physics. Stephen joined DCB in 2011 and during his tenure at the college, he has been Head of Physics, Head of Science, IB Coordinator, and is now Assistant Head: Data and Organisation. Stephen has been an IB Examiner for Physics since 2009, is an Apple Distinguished Educator and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Trainer, and in 2013 achieved his Master of Education (Leadership and Management) from the Open University.

When news landed in January 2020 that COVID-19 was closing schools, Stephen played a pivotal role in ensuring that learning platforms were ready, and the staff was supported. Working literally around the clock, Stephen was the first member of staff on the ground supporting overseas teachers, scanning exam papers, and sending them all over the world to DCB’s teachers. He devised and lead staff supervision when school resumed in April and made the concept of ‘hub learning’ for over 700 students possible at the start of this academic year.

Name: Gianpaolo Robert Dentico
Position: Biology Teacher/KS3 Science Coordinator
School: Wellington College Tianjin

Wellington College Tianjin is Gianpaolo’s third position in China. He arrived in China after being awarded a master’s degree from Bangor University in 2013. He started his time here teaching undergraduate students whilst completing research on agricultural genetics at Jianghan University, Wuhan, before moving to Shanghai to teach senior students at a bilingual boarding school. Gianpaolo is keen to pass on his sense of awe and respect for the natural world, whilst encouraging his students to develop a strong scientific mindset and critical thinking skills which will serve them well no matter which route they choose to take in the future.

Gianpaolo has helped many Wellington College students get into top universities around the world, including medical schools in Toronto, Canada, and Warwick, UK. He is engaged in many extra-curricular and after-school activities, such as preparing a stall at a school event selling color-changing drinks and liquid nitrogen ice cream to raise money for charity and leading a field trip to Kenya for 22 students.

Advertisement

Photos: Courtesy of Schools 

Hot Topics This Week