Our plane touched down in Beijing around midday on Wednesday. The new airport is a wonder to behold. We boarded a bus and travelled into the city, where we visited Beijing Si Zhong (Middle & High School No, 4).
Beijing Si Zhong School is over 100 years old and has around 3,000 students. It is one of the best schools in the city. Enrollment in the school is very competitive, and over 95% of its students go abroad for college with financial support from the government. United States universities are institutions of choice for the students who study overseas.
The school is known for its teaching and administrative innovations. In China, that can mean less rote memorization, more free time, and more autonomy to allow students to take responsibility for their studies.
Students are also required to take 45 minutes of vigorous physical education per day. We got to witness the impressive sight of hundreds of high school boys all jogging in military-style formation. In China, a student is expected to concentrate on one particular sport and achieve proficiency. The type of sport is not as important as achieving skill at the sport.
The school’s principal gave us a tour of the campus, which is quite large and even has its own telescope and observatory. It was interesting that there was not a major emphasis on technology as a part of the student’s curriculum, but the students do have specific opportunities to become skilled on specialized courses and outside learning and training opportunities.
China’s education system has its own set of unique issues and challenges, but like North Carolina, it is constantly experimenting with techniques and tools to enhance the skills of its students. Beijing Si Zhong is an excellent example of that spirit.