Bilingualism has always been one of the core highlights of Ardingly College Zhongshan, and its curriculum, which blends the best of East and West, stands out from lots of other international and bilingual schools.
Behind this unique curriculum is the lifelong work of numerous experienced educators. Today we would like to introduce you to Mr. Colby Hazouri, the Deputy International Head of Lower School for Ardingly College Zhongshan, and let's take a look at his legendary life in education!
DR. Colby Hazouri
● Deputy International Head of Lower School for Ardingly College Zhongshan
● MA Educational Leadership, University of Manchester, UK
● Juris Doctorate in International and Education Law
● Specialising in the design and research of bilingual integrated programmes in K12 schools, helping many students gain admission to the world's top universities and serving over 3,800 families
Hello as you know my name is Colby Hazouri and I'm sure that many of the parents who have attended our presentations, demo classes, interview sessions or our open day events will already know a little about me. I am very honoured to be the Deputy International Head of Lower School for Ardingly College Zhongshan and I am delighted to share some of my thoughts and my perspectives on education with you today.
I was born in the United States and was fortunate enough to receive a high quality and multicultural early childhood education, a childhood experience that has shaped my diverse career and enabled me to go out into the world and work with people of different cultures and mindsets today.
Dr. Colby in His Childhood
Beginning with my early childhood education experience, I can still remember my first teacher, Ms Johnson, who planted the seeds of diverse thinking at an early age with her extremely lively approach to education. Apart from the fun exploratory activities and active storytelling that took place in her classes, I remember nothing more than Ms Johnson's respect for multiculturalism and her unique approach to teaching.
I vaguely remember a class where everyone was learning to use chopsticks and questions like, "Why do we need to learn to use chopsticks?" etc were raised. Faced with these questions, Ms Johnson drew on our curiosity and desire to explore and allowed us to answer questions for ourselves and take part in authentic role-playing that opened us up to a larger view of the world as we experienced multiple cultures.
She was both a teacher and friend, who always gave me unconditional support, encouraged me to learn to explore multiculturalism and always be curious, this beginning has continued to guide my career in education and made me recognise the importance of East-meets-West education and multicultural models for the future development of young children.
Graduation Ceremony Speech
With a passion for exploring learning and a respect for multiculturalism, I made it through my junior and senior high school years and managed to make friends from all over the world at the very beginning of my life. Later on in my learning journey, early education brought me even more than that. As well as being able to approach challenges with a multi-dimensional perspective, it was a crucial key to unlocking my critical thinking and creativity. Whether it is a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, a Master's degree in Educational Leadership or a Doctorate in International Education Law, the lifelong learner I have become starting in my early years has given me a positive stance to continue to climb the seemingly insurmountable mountains.
Perhaps it was because of my interest in education or my reflection on all that educators had given to me in my life that I did not hesitate to enter the education field after graduating.
From helping students from different countries to achieve their dreams of higher education, to working with universities from all over the world, I have continued to spread my passion in the education field throughout my career. At the same time, with my experience in education, I chose to continue to grow and learn and was eventually awarded the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) Head of School certification.
Around 2014, the power and influence of education in China was growing at an unprecedented pace. After a detailed study of the Chinese education system, I decided to come to China to pursue my dream of education as a passionate believer in Chinese culture. I have worked for a number of renowned education groups in the Greater Bay Area and have dedicated myself to bringing a variety of quality early education programmes to young learners and their families, including IB PYP, EYFS, IEYC and others.
Recognising the differences between the Chinese and international education systems, I chose to focusing on tailoring a robust and inclusive programme to better suit the needs of Chinese children. Using the best of East and West, I worked hard to promote bilingual education in the Greater Bay Area, and have since witnessed the amazing growth of countless Chinese children. It was at this point that I realised that if children have a diverse platform to grow, they may achieve more than they ever thought possible!
In response to the growing recognition of multiculturalism among Chinese parents and their insight into the nature of early education, I worked with a number of like-minded educators, brought the Ardingly College Programme to China for the first time. As a leading British school with a history going back more than 160 years, Ardingly College has been an academic standard bearer for many years.
Sharing Ideas with Parents
While retaining the original DNA of Ardingly College, I have also incorporated more Chinese characteristics into our Zhongshan programme, aiming to shape it into an institution of higher learning for Chinese children. After the Ardingly College Programme officially landed in Zhongshan, I worked with a number of senior educators from Ardingly College to discuss and develop detailed plans for campus design, teacher recruitment, curriculum design, teacher training and developing a robust support system.
In a time when the future is within reach, opportunities are often fleeting. I believe that Ardingly College Zhongshan will be the best choice to help children face the future with a quality early years education setting them up for success in the future.
I would also like to take this opportunity to give you a brief insight into the teaching methodology of Ardingly College Zhongshan (Kindergarten).
Representative of Holistic Education, IB PYP as the Core
Ardingly College Zhongshan(Kindergarten) chose not to integrate some of the more common international early education systems in China (e.g. Montessori, Reggio, etc.) in favour of the IB PYP framework. Providing a challenging and rich whole child approach, the IB PYP curriculum tends to focus more on developing children's critical thinking and creative skills, and creating more opportunities for them on their academic path well into the future.
IBO Certification,
A High Quality School
The IB PYP system also has often more stringent requirements for both schools and teachers. Schools offering their programmes need to meet the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) criteria in all areas in order to be eligible for authorisation. This includes the teacher lesson plans submitted by the school to officials, specific training, requirements for timetabling, campus facilities, language environment and many other factors. The strict auditing criteria often also means that the school will provide a more integrated early education for children.
Multi-cultural System,
High Quality Starting Point of Life
Using the IB PYP as the core framework for curriculum design, we integrate additional elements of Western and Chinese education, such as the EYFS and the Chinese National Learning Guidelines for 3-6 year olds, to provide young children with inquiry-based, transdisciplinary approach through the integration of six core elements. Our academic team, with their extensive teaching experience, will work with the management to develop an engaging curriculum that will help young learners achieve their personalised early learning goals. In this multicultural and respectful environment, teachers are also free to share their ideas, discuss the latest international teaching methods and work together to create a safe and happy environment where children are respected as individuals.
I believe that with such a professional and holistically minded school, whether in the next 10, 20 or even 30 years, all the children who start their journey here will always be grateful for the academic knowledge, personal character and social development that the school has given them, and that they will truly become Chinese souls with a global perspective!
Thank you Mr. Hazouri for sharing your thoughts and ideas, as he wrote his own chapter in life and gave us another glimpse of the outstanding curriculum at Ardingly College Zhongshan(Kindergarten). I am sure that in the near future, he and his academic team will be able to inject infinite possibilities into the future of Zhongshan students!
If you are also interested in our courses, or want to learn more about international education and future multi-track pathways, please scan the QR code at the end of this article and make an appointment with Dr. Colby or Ms. Hannah to discuss future education trends!
