Jing Educators Award 2020: English Educators

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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.

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English is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages and a good grounding in it can help kids get ahead in a competitive global environment. These educators help kids of all ages master the complexities of the English language, from grammar to pronunciation and beyond.

Name: Wu Xing 吴星
Position: English Teacher and Research Group Leader
School: Beijing Mingcheng Academy

When Wu Xing was young, there was an old saying, “teachers are like engineers for human beings,” which influenced him very much. Since that moment, he was eager to be a teacher. For Wu Xing, a teacher is a person who teaches students knowledge, tells students the way to live, and answers students’ questions.

He began teaching soon after graduation. In 2018, he took students to America to visit a school and studied there for a month. Later, he trained students to join in a Spelling Bee competition and set up a club as well. As of last year, the group competition came eighth in the national final round and some individual students got into the final national round, too. Although it was his and the students’ first experience, they were very satisfied with their results and won praise from the parents and school leaders.

As the English teaching group leader at Mingcheng Academy, Wu Xing believes in working hard and continually innovating. He works with his team to make new achievements and break new ground.

Name: Fred Rojas
Position: Teaching instructor/Curriculum Developer/English Department Head
School: ETU Education

Fred has been involved in the field of education for over 10 years. He started his education career as a university research assistant in the Netherlands. In China, he has worked as both a teacher and curriculum developer in elementary/primary schools for over eight years. Fred is responsible for teacher training and management and is an expert in curriculum knowledge areas like project-based learning (PBL), the United States Common Core Standards, and Cambridge language standards based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Fred is a responsible and caring leader of ETU’s English department. As a teacher, Fred provides engaging classroom activities that correspond closely to students’ real-life situations and helps students better understand the world through projects designed based on UN Sustainable Development Goals, both of which have significantly increased the motivation and empathy of his students.

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Name: Catherine Clemente
Position: Head of English Teaching/Homeroom Teacher
School: Journey Academy of Beijing

Catherine joined Journey Academy when the school was first founded in 2016. She is a certified early years educator. She holds a degree in elementary education and has 17 years’ teaching experience. With extensive teaching experience as lead teacher in an international school, Catherine is currently the Academic Leader and Head of English Teaching at Journey Academy. She is an inspiring teacher, always telling her students that knowledge not only comes from books, but also from observing nature and the environment around us, from communication and cooperation, and from reflecting on our explorations. She is a supportive colleague, always reminding staff to build a positive environment for children and support their brave adventures. She is also a loving mother, bringing all JA children together to start a journey of exploration and unlimited discovery.

Name: Martina Xiang 向容
Position: Academic Supervisor, English teaching department; CASA lead teacher
School: Kidtopia

Martina graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University with a bachelor’s degree in English language. In her nine years of Montessori teaching experience, she has deeply cultivated and practiced Montessori theories and helped children to develop their minds. During her classroom teaching, she has provided parents with professional education guides and practical at-home teaching suggestions by holding parent workshops, parent salons, and parent reading clubs, offering parents scientific parenting awareness, and helping them to establish effective methods of parenting to help their children grow up in a harmonious atmosphere. Through a large number of teaching and research conferences, the teachers in the kindergarten have obtained professional knowledge and theories, improved their teaching skills, and indirectly helped the children to develop better. Martina is also dedicated to lifelong learning, visiting, and studying in the Montessori environment in Taiwan and overseas.

“Follow the child” is one of her favorite Montessori theories. In continuous practical teaching, she adheres to the child-centered approach, through observation, discovering children’s interests, guiding students in accordance with their aptitude, and assisting children in their growth with a professional attitude.

Name: Martin Wigley
Position: English Curriculum Coordinator
School: New Oriental Academy

Martin hails from the UK and has more than seven years of teaching experience. He holds a master’s degree in education, a master’s degree in creative writing, and a bachelor’s degree in media studies. He began his teaching career in Bangkok, where he worked as an ESL teacher at a number of prestigious private schools. This gave him a great foundation in teaching English to those students who are approaching the language with little-to-no background knowledge. Later, he began working as a homeroom teacher at an international school where he gained valuable experience with inquiry-based curriculums.

Martin is currently the grade 5 homeroom teacher at NOA and was recently appointed as the English curriculum coordinator. Martin places a lot of emphasis on inquiry and creating a learning environment that encourages students to inquire and think critically about the world around them. He believes that it is important to provide students with the tools to develop important life skills such as self-management and social skills. Additionally, he values meaningful and effective assessment techniques and believes that assessment should be an ongoing process that not only assesses student progress but also informs future learning and helps to refine curricula.

Name: Louise Chapman
Position: English Teacher/EPQ Coordinator
School: Wellington College Tianjin

Prior to joining the Wellington family, Louise Chapman taught English at an all-girls 11-18 state school in Hertfordshire, before relocating to Tianjin. In the UK, Louise studied for her BA in English and philosophy at the University of Bristol, before going on to study for both a PGCE and Master of Education degree at the University of Cambridge. During her post-graduate studies, Louise specialized in researching the role of reading in secondary schools and is keen on developing whole-school strategies that motivate young people to read. After her second year of teaching, Louise was afforded a fantastic opportunity to accompany a group of sixth-form students around the island of Borneo for an entire month; a trip that sparked her desire to travel and teach internationally. Last academic year, Louise undertook a mentoring program run by the University of Cambridge to become a mentor for trainee English teachers, resulting in her mentoring and supporting two PGCE English students through their training. When she is not teaching, Louise enjoys yoga, reading, and watching live theatre.

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Photos: Courtesy of the schools 

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