Hiba Voices

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: Ms. Zhou

Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16-year-olds. It is taken in over 150 countries and in more than 5000 schools around the world. In the June, 2022 series, over 5.6 million pupils sat the Cambridge GCSE or IGCSE level exam. IGCSE is the international version of GCSE in the UK. In fact, some pupils in the UK also choose to sit the IGCSE exam instead. Mainland China has also seen a rise in pupils sitting the Cambridge IGCSE exams. Last year, pupils from Hiba Academy Hangzhou at Wellington College Hangzhou achieved excellent results, with 73% of the scores being A-A* (A* is the highest level). What is even more exhilarating is that Joe from Hiba achieved the highest score in the country in his IGCSE art exam. "This picture shows an ordinary street in a modern city after rain, but I took this picture from a close to the ground angle to let the water surface and real buildings reflect the world opposite to it. I can feel the real life of modern people from this picture, and the figures of different people at night attracts me. The lights from different directions on the street make me feel warm despite the cold modern architecture, and lets me feel the unique style and culture of architecture in this era." - JoeIt has been over four years since Joe joined Hiba Academy Hangzhou at Wellington College Hangzhou. The school has presented a platform for Joe to demonstrate his talent for artistic creation fully, and in return, his brilliant performance has made the school proud. For the second “We are Hiba” this academic year, we interviewed Joe’s mother, who shared her insight on choosing Hiba and Joe’s journey at the school. How to find a school that aims for academic excellence and individual development where a child can feel like a fish in water and thrive? Let us find out more from Joe’s mother. What attracted you to choose Hiba for your child? We learned that Wellington College Hangzhou was established in Hangzhou the same year Joe graduated from primary school in 2018. We came to one of its information sessions and immediately found that Hiba’s values and educational ethos align with children’s needs in this modern world. When we returned with Joe to visit the school, he was so impressed by its elegant campus environment and friendly and loving teachers that he made it clear that he wanted to go to Hiba. This is how Joe became a founding pupil at Hiba. Four years later, he is now a sixth form pupil.What was the biggest challenge for Joe when he first joined Hiba, and how did he overcome it? The biggest challenge for Joe when he first joined Hiba was his need for English skills. He felt overwhelmed by some of the classes taught in English. However, he knew that language skills cannot be improved overnight and that one must embrace the challenge head-on. Fortunately, the expatriate teachers and Chinese teaching assistants have created an immersive English learning environment and delivered differentiated teaching to meet each child’s needs. They have created immense opportunities for pupils to learn English outside the classroom and encourage pupils to increase English input for better understanding.Joe has achieved the highest score in his IGCSE art examination globally. What do you think it is that contributes to his success? Joe was delighted to have achieved outstanding scores in the IGCSE exams last year, especially in the art exam. It was a result of both his intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Joe loves the art curriculum at Hiba. He is quiet and patient, willing to devote much time and energy to draw. His passion lies in sketches, Chinese paintings and cartoons. Complementing this, Hiba has presented him with a wonderful platform where his talent can be fully tapped and recognised. Some of Joe’s artworks were displayed in the exhibition zone at the school, and some were even made into congratulatory cards and the cover of invitations sent to his peers and other parents. One of the paintings in his IGCSE art portfolio won the Golden Award in the 2022 China (Hangzhou) International Youth and Children’s Cartoon Competition and was nominated to compete for the Grand Prize of its online competition. All of these have boosted Joe’s confidence and enabled him to continue his journey of artistic creation. Joe's artworksFrom a parent’s perspective, are there any positive changes, academically and personally, you have observed in Joe since he started boarding at Hiba Academy Hangzhou? Joe’s academic performance has been spiralling upwards. In Hiba’s diverse and inclusive environment, he finally found what suited him the best. Over the years, he has become a proactive learner and his love for learning has grown as he scores higher in daily learning. He even signed up for maths competitions, such as AMC, IMC and SMC, and even won some awards. Joe is slow to warm up, but he blended into the Hiba community easily, thanks to its harmonious environment. He made many good friends and his personality became brighter than before. In grade 10, he became a student council member and assumed several responsibilities. I am glad to see him becoming a more responsible person.Joe won multiple awards during the last academic year. How did you feel about these achievements and celebrate them at home? With the support of the school, Joe and a few of his schoolmates have participated in a complex group maths competition, in which they devoted much time to discussing the topic, even during the weekend, from deciding the theme to conducting research and validation. They even gave up the school tour during the autumn. Joe was never discouraged when their plan was first met with refusal, and he found the courage to start over. It was a time when he realised that the outcome was no longer important because he learned so much from the process and practised many other skills beyond the competition. It is Hiba Academy Hangzhou that endows our children with the best opportunities and the Hiba teachers who show them the highest regard. What hobbies does Joe enjoy? He has many interests and hobbies. Besides his love for drawing, he also enjoys table tennis, badminton, tennis and swimming. Since childhood, he has been particularly fond of building projects, such as Lego and Gundam. When he was a bit older, he participated in various robotics competitions, such as ROBORAVE, VEX, WRO, FIRST engineering challenge, and won a global championship. Among the five Hiba values, i.e. courage, respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility, which one do you and your family value the most? We value responsibility the most out of the five Hiba values. Being responsible is one’s duty. It is what makes one a qualified citizen in school and beyond. Throughout his years at Hiba, Joe becomes more mature and has learned more about the value of responsibility, thanks to the education he receives at Hiba. He can now complete his tasks without procrastination or fear, he always tries his best, and will help other team members to improve their project. What expectations do you have for Joe at Hiba and life beyond? We expect Joe to demonstrate Hiba values of courage, respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility and become a role model as a founding pupil, to practice more and improve himself, and live a more exciting and well-rounded life at Hiba. We want to tell Joe, “Your life has just started. As parents, we don’t want to raise too many expectations for you except to seize the moment, keep forging ahead, and understand your role in this society. Thus, you will be more confident with an open mind when you look ahead to your future.” At Hiba Academy Hangzhou in Wellington College Hangzhou, we aspire to create a caring, bilingual community that develops well-rounded individuals with solid values and the skills to thrive within an ever-changing global society. Community is at the centre of all we do at Hiba. We continuously strive to work with our parents, staff and pupils to develop that strong sense of community that makes our school unique. In this series of ‘We Are Hiba’ articles, we aim to tell our families’ stories and highlight their special contributions to our community.
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: Ms. Wang

This article in the We Are Hiba series is by Ms. Wang, whose son, Andy, is in grade 8 at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Andy was attending a local school until grade 4 before joining Hiba in 2018 as one of our founding families. Ms. Wang shared her thoughts on choosing Hiba for her son and the positive changes she has witnessed in Andy. Andy and his parents 01 Choosing Hiba to inspire intrinsic motivationMy husband and I graduated from universities at home, so we are aware of the pros and cons of local schools. After learning that one of our friends in Shanghai transferred their child into a bilingual school from a local school, we were intrigued by the idea. We had the same mindset to give Andy a learning environment that inspires his intrinsic motivation, a place where he can grow to be a kind and independent person. It was then that we read news about Wellington coming to Hangzhou, so we started right away to learn more. Hiba Academy Hangzhou upholds a value system that we recognise and educational methods and experiences inherited from Wellington College UK, not to mention that it is also an established brand thanks to its sister schools in Shanghai and Tianjin. These are the reasons we chose Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Andy in his Science class 02 Learning to be courageous, independent and confidentMy son was an introverted boy. Teachers at Hiba set rigorous academic bars for pupils in a safe environment where they are allowed to make mistakes. It encourages them to have courage and try. After joining Hiba, Andy gradually lowered his defense and has become an articulate pupil in class. Andy loves reading, so his English teacher and the librarians recommended a variety of books for him, and his reading enthusiasm was sparked by the reading challenge set by the librarians. Andy has read over four billion words in English to date. It was such a rewarding experience and his English improved dramatically. Andy filming a video with Deputy Head of Junior High Mr. Zhao Andy loves reading, so his English teacher and the librarians recommended a variety of books for him, and his reading enthusiasm was sparked by the reading challenge set by the librarians. Andy has read over four million words in English to date. It was such a rewarding experience and his English improved dramatically. Under the guidance of his Maths teacher, Andy has become increasingly interested in learning. He won the first prize in China in the Maths League competition when he was in grade 5 and represented the school to compete in the final in the US. He learned Euclid's Elements by himself in grade 7 and won third place in China in the AMC8 competition. Now as a grade 8 pupil, he continued his Maths journey and participated in AMC8 again and the UKMT maths competition. The results are pending. Andy in his Maths class After more than three years at Hiba, Andy has become more optimistic, independent and confident. He became a boarder in grade 7, made many friends there and became quite organised when it comes to his learning. We were both surprised and pleased. 03 Fun with full engagement and active participationThe Sports Day at Hiba, where all pupils are engaged, is incredibly impressive. Every child participates in various sports events instead of simply watching the game from the spectators’ seat. Andy had not experienced anything like this at his previous local school. He joined the football team at grade 5. The coach comes from the UK, and he is professional and caring, allowing the team to enjoy the fun of competing in fixtures. Andy in his PE class 04 Hiba Values of being kind and independentFor us, being kind and independent are the two most important Hiba values. We want Andy to be kind, learn to respect and accept himself and others, where he acknowledges his feelings and can think differently with compassion. We also want Andy to be independent, to be able to shoulder responsibility with courage.
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: Interviewing the Principal of Hiba Academy Hangzhou

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: Teacher development

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: Ms. Ke

This week’s article in the We Are Hiba series is by Ms. Ke, whose daughter, Hanni, is in Grade 8 at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. As a member of the Hiba community, Ms. Ke shared her thoughts on why they chose Hiba, and discusses Hanni’s growth as an individual during these past two years. It is also worth mentioning that Hanni’s little brother will be joining Hiba Nursery shortly. A Shared Choice Between Parents and Children When we were selecting a Junior High school for Hanni, we were seeking a school that cares about children’s mental and physical health. Few schools in Hangzhou were strong in this area at the time, so our choices were limited. In 2017, we learned from our friends that Hangzhou would be home to a Hiba school soon. We immediately followed the school updates, attended several information sessions and gradually learned about Hiba’s educational ethos and curriculum. It turns out that they were a perfect match with our expectations. Although the school’s buildings were still under construction, we learned that its sister schools in Shanghai and Tianjin have already been quite successful. This instilled confidence in us and we decided to trust the school and apply for a position. The most important factor came later during the admissions process, because it was Hanni who truly wanted to attend the school as a result of several delightful meetings and encounters with the Head of Junior High and the teachers during the admissions process. Choosing Hiba was thus a shared choice between Hanni and us. Hiba Identities and Values As parents, we ask ourselves constantly what kind of person we want our child to be when they grow up. To this question, my answer is that I want Hanni to be joyful, happy, confident, and strong. Life, however, is unpredictable. So, the kind of person our child will become in the future depends largely on the education they receive along the way. I am deeply touched by Hiba School Hangzhou’s Values and Identities. Although many schools promote such concepts, in other schools the values appear to exist more on paper and are not often instilled in the pupils. This is where Hiba School Hangzhou stands out, as the school ensures each Hiba pupil exhibits their school Values and demonstrates the Identities. Being independent is a Hiba Identity that I would like to share about in more detail. We as parents experienced a sense of loss when Hanni started at Hiba. Hanni’s teachers in Primary school used to bombard us with WeChat massages, so we were used to having constant communication and knowing everything about Hanni at all times. Once Hanni joined boarding at Hiba, communication became more focused on essential information, rather than every single detail of her life. Hanni’s teachers were no longer contacting us on WeChat regularly. In Hiba, pupils record their homework assigned by teachers and finish it by themselves; no parent involvement is required during this process. Sometimes after class, teachers assign homework via email, and pupils are free to write to teachers. Parents may not relate to this if they are not clear about Hiba’s educational philosophy. We learned gradually that by this approach, the school develops their pupils’ problem-solving and independent learning skills, which outweigh the alternative of simply imparting knowledge. Life for children who lack these skills will be difficult when they go abroad for senior high or university by themselves. Another Hiba Identity that impresses me deeply is being Individual. When music teachers arrange various stage performances in which every Hiba pupil is encouraged take part, they do not look for pupils with the best academic performance or best piano skills. They look for pupils with individual talents, passions and interests, and encourage the pupils to demonstrate them on stage. Hanni was going to quit piano after six years of practice because of her increasingly demanding school schedule, but thanks to the resources at Hiba and teachers singing with passion at the Summer Carnival, she now has a new understanding of music. Hanni is the first one on the left. Bilingual Environment with Diverse Culture Hanni's English listening, speaking, reading and writing skills have improved greatly since she started learning at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Now she is confident when speaking with Western teachers in fluent English, and her English vocabulary continues to expand. What surprises me is that Hanni is not only learning English as a language, but wielding it as a tool when expressing herself while studying European history, reading and writing, debating, singing, and drama. Language learned this way is vivid and dynamic. Hanni is indeed fortunate to be in such an immersive English learning environment with native English-speaking teachers. Chinese learning is joyful and meaningful at Hiba as well. Hanni used to dislike Chinese reading comprehension because there seemed to be a fixed answer for each question with no room for her own ideas. At Hiba, however, rather than guiding pupils to find fixed answers to questions, teachers encourage pupils to analyse articles with an open mind, cultivate their ability to convey their ideas in proper Chinese, and appreciate the beauty of literature, thereby sparking the children’s interest in Chinese learning. Hanni now enjoys her Chinese lessons much more than she did in the past. I believe learning Chinese well is a must for a Chinese child, regardless of whether or not they will live abroad or at home. Mandarin is fundamental to all Chinese people. Character and Mindset Growth Hiba boasts a wide range of extracurricular activities. Children need to spend a large amount of time on sports competitions, performing arts and music. One of the noticeable changes we have seen in Hanni is that she now displays a strong ability to manage her own time, with a better balance between her study and hobbies. Hiba’s consistent expectation for Hanni to complete her homework independently has increased her learning efficiency, allowing more time at her own disposal. I am glad to see that Hanni recognises and accepts herself and others better than before. Today, she appreciates and holds an inclusive and positive attitude toward others. Hiba teachers do not judge their pupils merely based on their academic scores; test results are private in Hiba and pupils are not ranked either. Instead, teachers focus on the pupil’s individual progress and encourage each child to explore where he or she shines. This atmosphere has helped Hanni recognise the strengths of others and appreciate them. I am growing with my children under Hiba’s influence, too, learning to overcome anxiety and let Hanni go, and allowing her to make mistakes and attempt to do things she likes. Now we are striving to provide an open space for Hanni to grow at her own pace. If I could select a word to describe a Hiba education, I would choose “inspired” because the school’s educational philosophy and pedagogy inspire their pupils’ way of thinking. When Hanni graduates from Hiba, no matter where she goes, she will be equipped with the Hiba mindset. I think this is the most precious gift that a Hiba education provides a pupil.
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: Ms. Song

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: DukeBox Update

www.dukeboxradio.cn

DukeBox Radio covers the entire Hangzhou campus and is available to pupils. As part of the School Activities programme, DukeBox Radio Club is run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 3-4PM. Martin Bailey, our DukeBox Presenter, will supervise the pupils as they record their sessions, and teach pupils how to create a radio show, edit music and spoken word and how to conduct interviews. Please click this link to view our Dukebox website：www.dukeboxradio.cn These pupils help to create 56 hours of weekly broadcasting on DukeBox Radio in Hangzhou, including 18 hours of live radio and 38 hours of recorded programmes.
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: Ms. Zhou

Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16-year-olds. It is taken in over 150 countries and in more than 5000 schools around the world. In the June, 2022 series, over 5.6 million pupils sat the Cambridge GCSE or IGCSE level exam. IGCSE is the international version of GCSE in the UK. In fact, some pupils in the UK also choose to sit the IGCSE exam instead. Mainland China has also seen a rise in pupils sitting the Cambridge IGCSE exams. Last year, pupils from Hiba Academy Hangzhou at Wellington College Hangzhou achieved excellent results, with 73% of the scores being A-A* (A* is the highest level). What is even more exhilarating is that Joe from Hiba achieved the highest score in the country in his IGCSE art exam. "This picture shows an ordinary street in a modern city after rain, but I took this picture from a close to the ground angle to let the water surface and real buildings reflect the world opposite to it. I can feel the real life of modern people from this picture, and the figures of different people at night attracts me. The lights from different directions on the street make me feel warm despite the cold modern architecture, and lets me feel the unique style and culture of architecture in this era." - JoeIt has been over four years since Joe joined Hiba Academy Hangzhou at Wellington College Hangzhou. The school has presented a platform for Joe to demonstrate his talent for artistic creation fully, and in return, his brilliant performance has made the school proud. For the second “We are Hiba” this academic year, we interviewed Joe’s mother, who shared her insight on choosing Hiba and Joe’s journey at the school. How to find a school that aims for academic excellence and individual development where a child can feel like a fish in water and thrive? Let us find out more from Joe’s mother. What attracted you to choose Hiba for your child? We learned that Wellington College Hangzhou was established in Hangzhou the same year Joe graduated from primary school in 2018. We came to one of its information sessions and immediately found that Hiba’s values and educational ethos align with children’s needs in this modern world. When we returned with Joe to visit the school, he was so impressed by its elegant campus environment and friendly and loving teachers that he made it clear that he wanted to go to Hiba. This is how Joe became a founding pupil at Hiba. Four years later, he is now a sixth form pupil.What was the biggest challenge for Joe when he first joined Hiba, and how did he overcome it? The biggest challenge for Joe when he first joined Hiba was his need for English skills. He felt overwhelmed by some of the classes taught in English. However, he knew that language skills cannot be improved overnight and that one must embrace the challenge head-on. Fortunately, the expatriate teachers and Chinese teaching assistants have created an immersive English learning environment and delivered differentiated teaching to meet each child’s needs. They have created immense opportunities for pupils to learn English outside the classroom and encourage pupils to increase English input for better understanding.Joe has achieved the highest score in his IGCSE art examination globally. What do you think it is that contributes to his success? Joe was delighted to have achieved outstanding scores in the IGCSE exams last year, especially in the art exam. It was a result of both his intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Joe loves the art curriculum at Hiba. He is quiet and patient, willing to devote much time and energy to draw. His passion lies in sketches, Chinese paintings and cartoons. Complementing this, Hiba has presented him with a wonderful platform where his talent can be fully tapped and recognised. Some of Joe’s artworks were displayed in the exhibition zone at the school, and some were even made into congratulatory cards and the cover of invitations sent to his peers and other parents. One of the paintings in his IGCSE art portfolio won the Golden Award in the 2022 China (Hangzhou) International Youth and Children’s Cartoon Competition and was nominated to compete for the Grand Prize of its online competition. All of these have boosted Joe’s confidence and enabled him to continue his journey of artistic creation. Joe's artworksFrom a parent’s perspective, are there any positive changes, academically and personally, you have observed in Joe since he started boarding at Hiba Academy Hangzhou? Joe’s academic performance has been spiralling upwards. In Hiba’s diverse and inclusive environment, he finally found what suited him the best. Over the years, he has become a proactive learner and his love for learning has grown as he scores higher in daily learning. He even signed up for maths competitions, such as AMC, IMC and SMC, and even won some awards. Joe is slow to warm up, but he blended into the Hiba community easily, thanks to its harmonious environment. He made many good friends and his personality became brighter than before. In grade 10, he became a student council member and assumed several responsibilities. I am glad to see him becoming a more responsible person.Joe won multiple awards during the last academic year. How did you feel about these achievements and celebrate them at home? With the support of the school, Joe and a few of his schoolmates have participated in a complex group maths competition, in which they devoted much time to discussing the topic, even during the weekend, from deciding the theme to conducting research and validation. They even gave up the school tour during the autumn. Joe was never discouraged when their plan was first met with refusal, and he found the courage to start over. It was a time when he realised that the outcome was no longer important because he learned so much from the process and practised many other skills beyond the competition. It is Hiba Academy Hangzhou that endows our children with the best opportunities and the Hiba teachers who show them the highest regard. What hobbies does Joe enjoy? He has many interests and hobbies. Besides his love for drawing, he also enjoys table tennis, badminton, tennis and swimming. Since childhood, he has been particularly fond of building projects, such as Lego and Gundam. When he was a bit older, he participated in various robotics competitions, such as ROBORAVE, VEX, WRO, FIRST engineering challenge, and won a global championship. Among the five Hiba values, i.e. courage, respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility, which one do you and your family value the most? We value responsibility the most out of the five Hiba values. Being responsible is one’s duty. It is what makes one a qualified citizen in school and beyond. Throughout his years at Hiba, Joe becomes more mature and has learned more about the value of responsibility, thanks to the education he receives at Hiba. He can now complete his tasks without procrastination or fear, he always tries his best, and will help other team members to improve their project. What expectations do you have for Joe at Hiba and life beyond? We expect Joe to demonstrate Hiba values of courage, respect, integrity, kindness and responsibility and become a role model as a founding pupil, to practice more and improve himself, and live a more exciting and well-rounded life at Hiba. We want to tell Joe, “Your life has just started. As parents, we don’t want to raise too many expectations for you except to seize the moment, keep forging ahead, and understand your role in this society. Thus, you will be more confident with an open mind when you look ahead to your future.” At Hiba Academy Hangzhou in Wellington College Hangzhou, we aspire to create a caring, bilingual community that develops well-rounded individuals with solid values and the skills to thrive within an ever-changing global society. Community is at the centre of all we do at Hiba. We continuously strive to work with our parents, staff and pupils to develop that strong sense of community that makes our school unique. In this series of ‘We Are Hiba’ articles, we aim to tell our families’ stories and highlight their special contributions to our community.
View More

: Ms. Wang

This article in the We Are Hiba series is by Ms. Wang, whose son, Andy, is in grade 8 at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Andy was attending a local school until grade 4 before joining Hiba in 2018 as one of our founding families. Ms. Wang shared her thoughts on choosing Hiba for her son and the positive changes she has witnessed in Andy. Andy and his parents 01 Choosing Hiba to inspire intrinsic motivationMy husband and I graduated from universities at home, so we are aware of the pros and cons of local schools. After learning that one of our friends in Shanghai transferred their child into a bilingual school from a local school, we were intrigued by the idea. We had the same mindset to give Andy a learning environment that inspires his intrinsic motivation, a place where he can grow to be a kind and independent person. It was then that we read news about Wellington coming to Hangzhou, so we started right away to learn more. Hiba Academy Hangzhou upholds a value system that we recognise and educational methods and experiences inherited from Wellington College UK, not to mention that it is also an established brand thanks to its sister schools in Shanghai and Tianjin. These are the reasons we chose Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Andy in his Science class 02 Learning to be courageous, independent and confidentMy son was an introverted boy. Teachers at Hiba set rigorous academic bars for pupils in a safe environment where they are allowed to make mistakes. It encourages them to have courage and try. After joining Hiba, Andy gradually lowered his defense and has become an articulate pupil in class. Andy loves reading, so his English teacher and the librarians recommended a variety of books for him, and his reading enthusiasm was sparked by the reading challenge set by the librarians. Andy has read over four billion words in English to date. It was such a rewarding experience and his English improved dramatically. Andy filming a video with Deputy Head of Junior High Mr. Zhao Andy loves reading, so his English teacher and the librarians recommended a variety of books for him, and his reading enthusiasm was sparked by the reading challenge set by the librarians. Andy has read over four million words in English to date. It was such a rewarding experience and his English improved dramatically. Under the guidance of his Maths teacher, Andy has become increasingly interested in learning. He won the first prize in China in the Maths League competition when he was in grade 5 and represented the school to compete in the final in the US. He learned Euclid's Elements by himself in grade 7 and won third place in China in the AMC8 competition. Now as a grade 8 pupil, he continued his Maths journey and participated in AMC8 again and the UKMT maths competition. The results are pending. Andy in his Maths class After more than three years at Hiba, Andy has become more optimistic, independent and confident. He became a boarder in grade 7, made many friends there and became quite organised when it comes to his learning. We were both surprised and pleased. 03 Fun with full engagement and active participationThe Sports Day at Hiba, where all pupils are engaged, is incredibly impressive. Every child participates in various sports events instead of simply watching the game from the spectators’ seat. Andy had not experienced anything like this at his previous local school. He joined the football team at grade 5. The coach comes from the UK, and he is professional and caring, allowing the team to enjoy the fun of competing in fixtures. Andy in his PE class 04 Hiba Values of being kind and independentFor us, being kind and independent are the two most important Hiba values. We want Andy to be kind, learn to respect and accept himself and others, where he acknowledges his feelings and can think differently with compassion. We also want Andy to be independent, to be able to shoulder responsibility with courage.
View More

: Ms. Ke

This week’s article in the We Are Hiba series is by Ms. Ke, whose daughter, Hanni, is in Grade 8 at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. As a member of the Hiba community, Ms. Ke shared her thoughts on why they chose Hiba, and discusses Hanni’s growth as an individual during these past two years. It is also worth mentioning that Hanni’s little brother will be joining Hiba Nursery shortly. A Shared Choice Between Parents and Children When we were selecting a Junior High school for Hanni, we were seeking a school that cares about children’s mental and physical health. Few schools in Hangzhou were strong in this area at the time, so our choices were limited. In 2017, we learned from our friends that Hangzhou would be home to a Hiba school soon. We immediately followed the school updates, attended several information sessions and gradually learned about Hiba’s educational ethos and curriculum. It turns out that they were a perfect match with our expectations. Although the school’s buildings were still under construction, we learned that its sister schools in Shanghai and Tianjin have already been quite successful. This instilled confidence in us and we decided to trust the school and apply for a position. The most important factor came later during the admissions process, because it was Hanni who truly wanted to attend the school as a result of several delightful meetings and encounters with the Head of Junior High and the teachers during the admissions process. Choosing Hiba was thus a shared choice between Hanni and us. Hiba Identities and Values As parents, we ask ourselves constantly what kind of person we want our child to be when they grow up. To this question, my answer is that I want Hanni to be joyful, happy, confident, and strong. Life, however, is unpredictable. So, the kind of person our child will become in the future depends largely on the education they receive along the way. I am deeply touched by Hiba School Hangzhou’s Values and Identities. Although many schools promote such concepts, in other schools the values appear to exist more on paper and are not often instilled in the pupils. This is where Hiba School Hangzhou stands out, as the school ensures each Hiba pupil exhibits their school Values and demonstrates the Identities. Being independent is a Hiba Identity that I would like to share about in more detail. We as parents experienced a sense of loss when Hanni started at Hiba. Hanni’s teachers in Primary school used to bombard us with WeChat massages, so we were used to having constant communication and knowing everything about Hanni at all times. Once Hanni joined boarding at Hiba, communication became more focused on essential information, rather than every single detail of her life. Hanni’s teachers were no longer contacting us on WeChat regularly. In Hiba, pupils record their homework assigned by teachers and finish it by themselves; no parent involvement is required during this process. Sometimes after class, teachers assign homework via email, and pupils are free to write to teachers. Parents may not relate to this if they are not clear about Hiba’s educational philosophy. We learned gradually that by this approach, the school develops their pupils’ problem-solving and independent learning skills, which outweigh the alternative of simply imparting knowledge. Life for children who lack these skills will be difficult when they go abroad for senior high or university by themselves. Another Hiba Identity that impresses me deeply is being Individual. When music teachers arrange various stage performances in which every Hiba pupil is encouraged take part, they do not look for pupils with the best academic performance or best piano skills. They look for pupils with individual talents, passions and interests, and encourage the pupils to demonstrate them on stage. Hanni was going to quit piano after six years of practice because of her increasingly demanding school schedule, but thanks to the resources at Hiba and teachers singing with passion at the Summer Carnival, she now has a new understanding of music. Hanni is the first one on the left. Bilingual Environment with Diverse Culture Hanni's English listening, speaking, reading and writing skills have improved greatly since she started learning at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Now she is confident when speaking with Western teachers in fluent English, and her English vocabulary continues to expand. What surprises me is that Hanni is not only learning English as a language, but wielding it as a tool when expressing herself while studying European history, reading and writing, debating, singing, and drama. Language learned this way is vivid and dynamic. Hanni is indeed fortunate to be in such an immersive English learning environment with native English-speaking teachers. Chinese learning is joyful and meaningful at Hiba as well. Hanni used to dislike Chinese reading comprehension because there seemed to be a fixed answer for each question with no room for her own ideas. At Hiba, however, rather than guiding pupils to find fixed answers to questions, teachers encourage pupils to analyse articles with an open mind, cultivate their ability to convey their ideas in proper Chinese, and appreciate the beauty of literature, thereby sparking the children’s interest in Chinese learning. Hanni now enjoys her Chinese lessons much more than she did in the past. I believe learning Chinese well is a must for a Chinese child, regardless of whether or not they will live abroad or at home. Mandarin is fundamental to all Chinese people. Character and Mindset Growth Hiba boasts a wide range of extracurricular activities. Children need to spend a large amount of time on sports competitions, performing arts and music. One of the noticeable changes we have seen in Hanni is that she now displays a strong ability to manage her own time, with a better balance between her study and hobbies. Hiba’s consistent expectation for Hanni to complete her homework independently has increased her learning efficiency, allowing more time at her own disposal. I am glad to see that Hanni recognises and accepts herself and others better than before. Today, she appreciates and holds an inclusive and positive attitude toward others. Hiba teachers do not judge their pupils merely based on their academic scores; test results are private in Hiba and pupils are not ranked either. Instead, teachers focus on the pupil’s individual progress and encourage each child to explore where he or she shines. This atmosphere has helped Hanni recognise the strengths of others and appreciate them. I am growing with my children under Hiba’s influence, too, learning to overcome anxiety and let Hanni go, and allowing her to make mistakes and attempt to do things she likes. Now we are striving to provide an open space for Hanni to grow at her own pace. If I could select a word to describe a Hiba education, I would choose “inspired” because the school’s educational philosophy and pedagogy inspire their pupils’ way of thinking. When Hanni graduates from Hiba, no matter where she goes, she will be equipped with the Hiba mindset. I think this is the most precious gift that a Hiba education provides a pupil.
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