Jing Educators Award 2020: Math Educators

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Following the 2020 Jingkids International School Expo (JISE) in October this 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.

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You can count the ways the educators in this category make learning math accessible and even fun, as their many competition-winning students will attest.

Name: Cui Xiaomei 崔晓梅
Position: Primary School Teaching Director (Mathematics Department)
School: Beijing New Talent Academy (BNTA)

Ms. Cui has 15 years of teaching experience. During her teaching career, she has received honors such as the grand judges’ prize in the 50th Innovation Cup Teaching Competition, first prize in many national level competitions for academic theses and video courses, and “gold medal instructor” in the International Kangaroo Mathematics Competition. She is chief editor of education and teaching books such as Mathematics Reader and Cultivate Excellence in Class.

Since she became the primary school mathematics teaching director in 2015, she has actively participated in training activities to improve her professional quality. In addition, she has designed subject activities to develop students’ mathematical thinking and provided in-depth classroom guidance to help young teachers. She also worked with mathematics experts and created competitive teaching plans to develop school-based mathematics courses and cultivate students’ critical thinking ability. In addition, she innovated the course teaching model and constructed a multi-dimensional curriculum group during her teaching period.

Name: Yang Yuling 杨玉玲
Position: Middle School Teaching Director (Mathematics Department)
School: Beijing New Talent Academy (BNTA)

Ms. Yang has more than 10 years of teaching experience in IGCSE mathematics, IGCSE additional mathematics, A-Level mathematics, and A-Level further mathematics. Ms. Yang is commended for her professional concern for her students and the quality of her instruction. Three of her students won the AS Mathematics Top in the World, A-Level Mathematics Top in China, and A-Level Further Mathematics Top in the World awards in 2008, 2009, and 2011. Ms. Yang also helped many students to participate in the global mathematics competitions, all of which achieved excellent results. Ms. Yang’s graduates have been enrolled by top universities such as the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, UCLA, and London School of Economics. Along with her command of the subject area and her effective teaching strategies with students, she is a backbone teacher of her department and a model of an excellent teacher.

Name: Jessie Geng
Position: Head of Secondary Mathematics Department
School: Chaoyang Kaiwen Academy 

Jessie Geng obtained a bachelor’s degree with distinction in joint honors in mathematics and economics from the University of California, before completing a master’s in mathematics at the University of Utah. She joined Chaoyang Kaiwen Academy in August 2018, initially taking the position of IB Diploma coordinator and subsequently filling the role of head of the mathematics department. Her broad experience of the Chinese National Curriculum, the Cambridge examinations framework and the IB Diploma has made her invaluable to Chaoyang Kaiwen Academy. She loves working with pupils and colleagues alike, supporting them unostentatiously to achieve their goals. As well as developing the secondary curriculum, Ms. Geng has organized a celebration of math on Pi Day and inspired students to join a variety of math competitions, including the Maths League of China and the Waterloo Maths contest.

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Name: Gao Jing 高静
Position: Math Reader and Leader of Grade K
School: ETU Education

Ms. Gao Jing graduated from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Science, with a master’s degree in childhood education and developmental psychology and also holds a bachelors’ degree in biotechnology and economics from Xiamen University. She has five years of experience as a homeroom teacher and mathematics teacher in two Beijing international schools and has experienced more than 100 outdoor field trips.

Ms. Jing actively participates in the improvement of the school academic and teaching infrastructure, paying special attention to personalized education and the cultivation of students’ core literacy. She is very patient with the students and seizes the opportunity to find educational experiences in daily life and let education happen naturally.

Name: Yang Yucui 杨玉翠
Position: Deputy Principal
School: HD Beijing School

Ms. Yang Yucui is a renowned math teaching expert and has featured in a cover story in the journal Contemporary Educator. She was part of the management committee and a grade director at Yizhuang Elementary School. Ms. Yang advocates for thinking-focused math learning with life-relevant applications and interdisciplinary integration. She innovated HD School’s integrated math curriculum philosophy and teaching model, which received high praise from both parents and children.

While adhering to solid academic competence, Ms. Yang places emphasis on cultivating students’ mathematical thinking. She developed a rigorous practical methodology, Question, Conversation, Cooperation (QCC), which provides students with a new model for learning. As a principal, Ms. Yang insists on being in the classroom every day in order to ensure that her advanced concepts are firmly implemented in practice and innovation continues.

Name: Rocco Le Zhu 朱乐
Position: Secondary School Math Teacher
School: Springboard International Bilingual School (SIBS)

Dr. Rocco Le Zhu holds a PhD in microelectronics from Bolton University, UK, an MSc in materials for industry from Loughborough University, UK, and a BSc in applied physics from Northeastern University, China. Before coming back to China, Rocco lived in the UK for six years, during which time he learned a lot about local culture. Shortly after returning to China in 2012, Rocco started teaching in training companies and international schools. Owing to his in-depth understanding of students and outstanding teaching-learning activities, he won the trust and appreciation of his students and their parents.

Rocco teaches Grade 7-12 math and is very familiar with the three most popular international courses: AP, A-Level, and IB, as well as the related standardized tests. He is also familiar with the Chinese zhongkao (中考) and gaokao (高考)  entrance exams. In addition to math, Rocco also teaches English to students at various ages, from young kids to adults, including MSE (Cambridge) courses, Kids’Box, GESE (Trinity spoken English), English for Business, and TOEFL training courses. In addition, Rocco can also guide students through their university applications by giving advice on course selection, time planning, and background improvement.

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Photos: Courtesy of Schools

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