Guangyuan Project Visit Report in March 2023

 

March 2023

 

1. Reading Education Workshop (3rd Session)

 

On March 17, 2023, the Foundation held the third reading education workshop at Nanying Primary School. This was the first in-person activity of our Guangyuan project in the new semester.

 

In the first two sessions, lecturer Wang Yi-feng centered on the design of the reading class, focusing on the methods and points of attention to lead students to discuss a book. This workshop was centred around observing the reading class and learning how to improve the session. In the morning reading session, the lecturer read and discussed the book "The Cricket in Times Square" with the Grade Three students. Before the class, the lecturer reminded the teachers to record three observations of the class, namely: What did you find? Confusion, and what "keywords" would sum up this lesson? After the lesson, the lecturer answered the teachers' questions about the objectives of this reading class. In the afternoon, the lecturer led a discussion on the course design around the picture book on the theme of "love". Teachers chose picture books to read and extend the discussion of different manifestations of "love", including visible love, invisible love, real love, and hurtful love.

 

Through the presentation of the reading class and the design of the reading class, this workshop has deepened the teacher's understanding of the reading discussion method. More importantly, the goal of the reading class is to stimulate and ensure that all students participate in thinking and communication. Teachers act as readers and have reader-to-reader dialogue with students.

 

2. Principals Roundtable Meeting

 

The Foundation and the Education Bureau held the Spring Semester Principals Roundtable Meeting. The main agenda was to review the project activities in the previous semester and the work plan for the new semester, so that the principals can think about how to arrange school resources after understanding the goals as a whole. The Foundation introduced the two key activities of this semester, namely the application and selection of the Teacher Innovation Fund and the self-evaluation of the construction of a happy reading culture on campus.

 

Based on the experience of the Hefei Stone Soup Program, the Teacher Innovation Fund encourages and supports teachers in the project schools to create an interesting reading environment and hold diverse reading activities or courses on campus through small grants with unlimited funds. At the same time, the post-project sharing meeting will be held. It is aimed to promote communication and learning among project schools and summarize excellent cases of campus reading promotion based on the situation of local schools and students.

 

The self-assessment of the construction of a happy reading culture at campus is to encourage the project schools to focus on the four elements of "books", "time", "people" and "environment" that the Foundation has always advocated. In addition, it is important to assess the status of each school’s reading culture and to identify schools’ weaknesses and decide on development directions. At the same time, it is also an important means and tool for the Foundation to monitor projects and provide data for project implementation adjustments.