Dear ZWIE’rs,
On the occasion of the 39th Teacher's Day, please allow me to extend my warmest greetings and heartfelt thanks to all the dedicated educators working diligently on the front lines of teaching, including homeroom, subject teachers, foreign teachers, pastoral care teachers, admin support, logistics. I wish you all a "Happy Teacher's Day!"
This year's Teacher's Day coincides with the 20th-anniversary celebration of ZWIE. ZWIE has been committed to integrating the strengths and essence of Chinese education with the concepts and methods of international education, aiming to create a holistic education system best suited for Chinese children. Over the course of 20 years of development, ZWIE has nurtured generation after generation of outstanding students, contributing significantly to the development of society and the nation. Without the resilience, dedication, and relentless efforts of all ZWIE members, today's ZWIE and its prominent position in the field of education would not have been possible. Once again, my highest respect and deepest gratitude to all ZWIE members for your hard work, selfless dedication, and unwavering efforts!
Currently, China has begun comprehensive implementation of the new national curriculum standards, with the core goal of nurturing well-rounded individuals, emphasizing students' comprehensive qualities and core abilities, integrating subject knowledge with practical application, and innovating teaching methods and personalized development to meet the needs of modern society.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) believes that ideal education must first ensure that real, deep, effective, and high-quality learning takes place in the classroom! The core of education is learning! The core of learning is the awakening of the learner's inner learning potential!
The greatest value of education lies in touching, activating, and unleashing the dormant potential in children. High-quality learning depends significantly on the learner's agency and inner drive. Individuals with high self-efficacy are typically optimistic, take proactive actions, embrace challenges, and work diligently to overcome obstacles. They realize that "learning is their own responsibility" and have the capacity to take charge of their own learning.
This is precisely what is needed in this era of high uncertainty, extensive connectivity, and information technology. International relations are becoming increasingly complex, scientific, and technological advancements are rapidly evolving, and changes in social production and lifestyles are accelerating. Faced with unprecedented changes and the fast-paced future, the role, prospects, and paths of education, as well as its positioning, are evident.
At the Commencement of a Fresh Academic Year, Fresh Horizons and Fresh Explorations, this year's Teacher's Day theme is To Ignite the Boundless Potential of Learning and Unleash the Enormous Power of Education. This theme will be the subject of our collective thinking, exploration, and the ideals and goals we pursue.
In the past few years, we have witnessed ZWIE's rapid development amidst continuous change. In 2020, I shared three key words: Transformation, Value, and Growth. Together, we witnessed ZWIE creating new value in this ongoing transformation, growing, and flourishing continually! In 2022, I shared three more key words: Commitment, Deepening, and Exhibition. We remained committed to our original intentions, delved deep into the educational pursuit we believe in, and comprehensively showcased our educational achievements, enhancing the social influence and reputation of ZWIE's education brand!
This year, amidst complex and ever-changing transformations, on the foundation of 20 years of fruitful accumulation, as we are about to enter a new phase of development, I would like to share three additional key words: 1. Learning Potential; 2. Educational Power; 3. Activation and Release.
Learning Potential: Every individual possesses untapped learning capabilities and developmental potential. The goal of education should not only be knowledge transmission but also the discovery and stimulation of students' inner desire and ability to learn, maximizing each student's learning potential for continuous development, progress, and personal goals. In today's rapidly changing world, we must recognize that everyone has infinite learning potential. We need to shift our focus from knowledge dissemination, which limits the realization of students' potential, to nurturing students' creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
Activating learning potential requires personalized education. Every student has their unique learning style and interests, and education should be tailored to their needs to ignite their interest and potential. Unlocking the infinite potential of learning also necessitates encouraging innovative and critical thinking. Education should not only transmit knowledge but also cultivate students' ability to think independently, solve problems, and make innovative contributions.
Activating the infinite potential of learning is the key to unleashing the enormous power of education. By emphasizing self-directed learning, practical skills, personalized education, modern technology, and fostering innovative thinking, we can ensure that the education system better serves society, inspires everyone's potential, and drives sustained progress in society.
Educational Power: The power and influence of education lie in its ability to shape individuals' future and propel societal progress. Education is not just a process of knowledge transmission; it is also a tool for social change and development, driving the future of society and serving as an engine for individual change, innovation, and development. Education plays a crucial role in China's "14th Five-Year Plan" development period, encompassing talent cultivation, technological innovation, social and economic development, cultural inheritance and innovation, international competitiveness, and many other aspects. It not only has a direct impact on the stability and growth of the domestic economy but also contributes to China playing a more significant role on the international stage.
To unleash the tremendous power of education, we first need to change the way we approach education. Education should focus on cultivating students' self-directed learning abilities, igniting their curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Secondly, education should emphasize practical skills and the application of knowledge, enabling students to successfully meet challenges in the real world. Most importantly, education should encourage diversity and inclusivity, offering individualized instruction to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to realize their potential.
Activation and Release: The mission of education is to awaken and unleash students' potential. Education should inspire students' enthusiasm, creativity, and thinking abilities. It should kindle their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, enabling them to better adapt to the demands of the real world, cope with the complexities of a rapidly changing reality, and become self-directed learners and active participants in society.
This year's Teacher's Day theme is "Tilling the Educational Field, Strengthening the Nation." This theme reflects our honorable mission as educators and echoes the great goals of national development. As we celebrate Teacher's Day, let us reflect on our role in educational transformation, how we can better nurture the responsible and accountable new generation. We must strengthen our moral character and become "Four-Have" good teachers: having ideal beliefs, having moral emotions, having knowledge and skills, and having responsibility. We must be "Four Guides" guiding students on the right path: knowledge guides, moral guides, innovation guides, and success guides. Leading by example, we must influence and inspire students with our actions, allowing them to thrive under our education and become beneficial individuals to society.
We should uphold our promise with ZWIE's practice of integrated Chinese-Western holistic education, "Let education adapt to children, let the world be diverse yet harmonious." We aim to nurture students as "lifelong learners with wide knowledge and critical thinking, international communicators proficient in Chinese and English, and future creators with upright character."
In the new academic year, we should continue to delve deep into and refine ZWIE's integration of Chinese and Western comprehensive education in the KUAIPULE (QIPRA) Classroom Teaching domains. We should continue to uphold our teaching philosophy of "learning starts with thinking, and thinking originates from questioning," and create our unique Fast Learning and Comprehensive Learning Classroom Teaching model, highlighting the central role of students as learners, shifting the focus from "teaching" to "learning." By facilitating the five phases of Inquiry Learning, we actively guide students to think independently, ask questions, and explore on their own, making students the masters of their own learning and life.
At the same time, we should continue to enrich, refine, optimize, and elevate ZWIE's KSE Evaluation System within the ZWIE HEC Curriculum, allowing it to unleash its full potential in the new era of education. It should provide comprehensive assessment of students' mastery of subject knowledge, comprehensive literacy, and their action competence across three major dimensions. From the knowledge perspective, it primarily assesses students' understanding and mastery of the national curriculum, serving as a clear and specific evaluation of learning objectives and standards with feedback and pre-feedback forming a closed loop. From the perspective of comprehensive literacy, it primarily assesses students' growth in thinking skills, research skills, communication skills, social skills, and self-management skills. From the perspective of action, it assesses students' ability to apply their knowledge in the real world, emphasizing the connection between students' personal development and the external world. It should be more operational, more visual, and allow students' comprehensive development results and more learning evidence to speak for themselves, being results-oriented. By activating and releasing the potential of learning, educational power, we aim to infuse ZWIE's integrated Chinese-Western holistic education with new content, new vitality, and new hope!
Dear teachers, we are the planters of knowledge, the guides of wisdom, and the guiding lights on the path of young students' growth. In the halls of education, we not only impart knowledge but also shape generation after generation of outstanding young people. Our contribution goes beyond education; we nurture future leaders, scientists, innovators, and outstanding talents in various fields.
In conclusion, I would like to once again thank all ZWIE educators for your hard work and selfless dedication. Let us move forward hand in hand, contributing to the prosperity of ZWIE's bright future and the prosperity of the nation's education cause.
Happy Teacher's Day!
Jason Tsui
Honorary General Principal,
Chair of Academic Board, ZWIE
