“I
am Chinese by blood,” identifies Dai Min, Keystone’s Chinese Curriculum Coordinator. But
Dai Min has taught in international schools across the world. Her career and experience
together with her identity epitomizes Keystone’s essential character of being a Chinese school with
an international flavor. She is personally, professionally and culturally bilingual.
There is no one better to ensure that the shared Keystone values are embedded into the very fabric
of the school community – students, teachers and parents. Dai Min bears the responsibility for the
school’s overall Chinese curriculum. And it is not just about school life, “Our students, from a young
age, will begin the process of understanding that they are one part of a larger society,” she says.
Read this interview to know more about Keystone’s Chinese curriculum, how it is implemented and
how it is different from other international schools in China.
Q:
You have taught at reputable schools such as
City West Middle School in Shanghai, Chinese
International School in Hong Kong, and Wesley College
in Australia. Prior to joining Keystone Academy, you
were the Director and Coordinator of the Chinese
Program at Dulwich College Shanghai. What made you
decide to come to Beijing to join the Keystone team?
A:
After I returned to China from my post in Australia
several years ago, I was keen to learn about the type of
education Chinese students were receiving. Because while I
have been teaching Chinese studies for 30 years, I spent most of
that time working with international students. What I observed
was that Chinese education was strong in equipping students
with a solid academic foundation, but it was relatively weak in
cultivating a student’s chara