【In Project-Based Learning, students learn important knowledge and develop skills by doing research and solving real, appealing and complex problems, projects or challenges. The key point of PBL is students’ learning goals, including core content, critical thinking, problem solving, cooperation and self-management. PBL focuses on real context, complex questions, cross-discipline, professional design, team work, product and assessment. Since established, Vanke Bilingual School has adhered to the idea of PBL. Since 2018, students of all grades have been working on several projects based on their questions.】

Vanke Bilingual School Organized by DLC China deep learning center, held a one-week online training with trainers from High Tech High from 23rd August to 27th August, in order to strengthen teachers’ understanding of PBL, deeply change the way of teaching, fully motivate students, make learning a joyful journey, and foster creative teachers. High Tech High is a well-known school for its innovation and the use of PBL.

On the morning of 23rd August, all teachers and American trainers attended a short opening ceremony. The online opening ceremony was presided over by Dr. Fang Houbin, the initiator of DLC China in-depth learning and an associate professor of Columbus State University,Principal Yang and the founder of High Tech High, Larry Rosenstock, made splendid speeches.

Principal Yang said in her speech, “The school and teachers must make transition. We must transmit from knowledge teaching to creative teaching which followed the rules of human growth, let education go back to humanity, back to essentiality and prepare students to experience the future. PBL is based on students’ characteristics and it is a way to achieve students’ self-learning goal.”

Larry Rosenstock said, “In this world with information everywhere and easily accessible, students can do far more than they know. When we are truly learning, we change the content, change ourselves and change the relationship between teaching and learning. The world is in a difficult moment. It needs us to create new knowledge. Children start to create new knowledge from kinder garden, and that is true learning.”

During this five-day training, HTH trainers explained thoroughly the basic concept of PBL and design elements. Our teachers were guided to do student empathy interview, in order to know how to learn about students’ interests by asking questions. They also learned how to make essential questions and communicate by a pattern “Yes, and…”, which gives projects more possibility. They learned about critique, connection and students’ motivation. The whole training is comprehensive and rigorous. The high standard internet configuration of school made the communication across China and America successful. 

The training combined lecturing and practicing. Teachers kept doing brainstorms, finished many tasks and created many good projects during the training.

All groups had two rounds of heated discussions. The representatives of each group made wonderful speeches. 

VBS will maintain close cooperation with DLC China deep learning center and introduce excellent innovation resources including HTH.Trainers will help VBS teachers in one year, training them online to teach real projects. If possible, trainers will come to China next spring and carry out in-class training.

Vanke Bilingual School adheres to the idea of “lifelong learning”. All teachers and staffs learn and grow together in the Academy of Teacher Professional Development. VBS requires teachers to have high morality, advanced teaching ability, growth-mindset and scientific viewpoint of students, keep up with world-front teaching ideas and guide students’ excellent growth. VBS also provides professional training for all teachers to foster creative teachers.