2020年元旦刚过，在狄邦华曜学校IntApply（学生申请系统）里跳出一份陌生名字的申请——Eve Yuan，在没有进行深入咨询，并且当时校园环境建设等各方面并不十分完善的情况下，家长便直接申请入学，这是比较少见的情况。

对此，Eve爸爸解释说：华二系，对他这样的上海家长而言，便是极大的吸引力。当然，在此背后，也有纠结、取舍，以及对学校其他方面优势的考量。

如今，狄邦华曜创校近三年，我们试图与这一批创校家庭对话，细数他们一路以来的陪伴和成长。今天，让我们一起来听听Eve家庭的故事。

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Right after the New Year's Day of year 2020, an application with a  strange name jumped out of Intapply system (student application system) of Dipont Huayao Collegaite School  of the application – and that came from Eve Yuan. At that time the campus construction and other aspects were not very much perfect, parents directly applied for admission, in the absence of in-depth consultation, that was relatively rare.

In response, Eve's father explained that the “Huaer schools” was a great attraction for Shanghai parents like him. Behind this, of course, were struggles, trade-offs, and considerations about other aspects of the school's strengths.

Now, nearly three years passed after the founding of the school, we've tried to talk to the founding families about their company and growth along the way. Today, let's listen to the story of her family.

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Choice: Meeting Dipont Huayao Collegiate halfway after graduating from public primary school

Eve在上海公立小学读完五年级后，因父母工作调动、孩子未来发展方向逐渐明晰等各种因素，终究促成了她与狄邦华曜这场“刚刚好的相遇”。

爸爸坦言，从体制内教育“跳出来”，需要一定勇气。“之前在学校的环境很压抑，孩子不开心、家长也费劲。”这不仅是父母的感受，更是孩子的心声。

据他回忆，Eve在学校非常忙碌且盲目，上学就只是按部就班完成老师布置的任务，缺少自我发展的空间。“我们不想让孩子这样，而是想要用最自然的方式陪她一起慢慢成长。”这是Eve父母不约而同的想法，“不需要太纠结未来会怎么样，未来充满着不确定性，把当下的每件事尽量做好就已经足够。”

当家长和学校的教学观念产生冲突，就意味着有必要重新审视孩子的教育选择了。在综合了孩子未来发展方向、上学上课实际问题以及家长工作安排的多方考量之下，Eve正式成为狄邦华曜学校创校学者。

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Eve finished her fifth grade in a Shanghai public primary school. Due to parents' work transfer, and the child's future development direction gradually turned clear, along with some other factors, all these eventually contributed to this "just right encounter" between her and Dipont Huayao Collegiate.

Eve’s father said frankly, "jumping out" from the traditional system of education equired a certain courage. "It was a depressing environment at school, with unhappy children and struggling parents." This was not only the feeling of parents, but also the voice of children.

As he recalled, Eve was very busy and blind at school. She just finished the tasks assigned by the teacher step by step, and there was no room for self-development. 'We don't want her to be like this, we want her to grow up in the most natural way possible.' This is a common thought of both her parents: "Don't worry too much about what will happen in the future, the future is full of uncertainty, just try to do everything right at this moment , and that is good enough."

When there was a conflict between parents and schools regarding education mindsets, it means that it is necessary to re-examine children's educational choices. In the synthesis of the child's future development direction, the practical problems in school and parents' work arrangements, under such multi-consideration, Eve eventually became one of founding scholars of Dipont Huayao Collegiate School.

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不过，择校决定并非一蹴而就。Eve妈妈回忆起当时的心路历程，对我们说：“因为工作关系，Eve是我先生从小一手带大的，所以关于女儿的学习、生活我多会听取我先生的建议。女儿在小升初阶段，我们在上海面试了一些较为知名的双语学校，且都获得了很好的回馈。”

之所以选择狄邦华曜这样一所新校，是多方权衡的结果：“我的工作单位在昆山，让青春期的女儿与妈妈待在一起的时间更多一些，可能更便于女性话题的沟通。另外，狄邦华曜崭新的硬件设施和全英文学校环境吸引了我们。”

不过，令Eve父母印象最深的，还是教育理念的一致。“还记得在沟通过程中，学校强调将会培养孩子独立的思考能力和解决问题的能力的教学理念。”

谈及这次选择，Eve妈妈也坦诚地说：“很多时候，我们三人的选择一直不谋而合，不用过多纠结和讨论，因为我们都有‘试错”的心里预设，错了能趁早纠正才是成长和生活的宝贵经历。”

而如今回望这个抉择，Eve父母不约而同地表达了充分的认可与肯定——经过近三年的时间，Eve的诸多改变令他们惊喜和欣慰……

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But the decision wasn't made overnight. Eve's mother recalled the inner journey at that time and said to us, "Because of work arrangements, Eve was brought up by my husband, so I always listen to my husband's advice on her study and life. "We interviewed with some well-known bilingual schools in Shanghai when choosing middle school for her, and we received good feedback."

Choosing a new school was a result of careful consideration: "I work in Kunshan, so it would be easier for my adolescent daughter to spend more time with her mother, this would help communication on female topics. In addition, we were attracted by the new facilities and the all-English school environment."

However, the most impressive thing for Eve's parents is the consistency of their educational philosophy. "I also remember that during the communication process, the school emphasized the teaching concept of developing children's independent thinking and problem solving abilities."

Talking about the choice, Eve's mother also said frankly: "Many times, the three of us have been making same choices. We do not have too much tangling or discussion, because we all have the 'trial and error' in our hearts. Wrongs can be corrected as early as possible, and that is a valuable experience of growth and life."

And now looking back at this choice, Eve's parents both expressed full recognition and affirmation -- after nearly three years, a lot of changes in Eve made them surprised and pleased...

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Growth: From blindness to positive thinking, vivid personality is released here

别看Eve现在所有课程均在最高级别，两年前入校时，来自公立学校的她英文水平还相对落后。“她现在跟以前的同学出去玩，有时候会做她们的英语试卷，开始觉得简单了。”爸爸格外强调，“跟学校的教育模式分不开。”

狄邦华曜作为一所汲取美式教育精髓，着眼培养未来创新型人才的国际化学校，以中外教学团队创造沉浸式双语环境，这对于像Eve这样未来计划申请国外大学的同学来说再适合不过。

学习能力的培养和提高是一方面，孩子个性发展也十分重要。Eve爸爸回忆孩子来到狄邦华曜前后的变化，总结道：“她更积极了，也更乐于表达自己真实的观点了。”

应试教育体系下，老师难免会倾向于优待成绩好的学生。Eve之前在公立小学，多多少少养成了一种讨好老师、盲目崇拜的心理习惯。与此同时，作为独立个体的自主意识和表达欲也被逐渐隐藏。“一个很简单的例子，她以前在课堂上会积极举手回答问题，其实就是为了引起老师的注意，想让老师喜欢她。”

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Eve is now at the highest levels in all her subjects, yet she was relatively poor in English language when she left public school and entered the Dipont HC school two years ago. "She's now hanging out with her former classmates and sometimes doing their English papers. It feels easier for her." Eve's father especially stressed, "This can not be separated from the school's education model."

As an internationalized school that holds the essence of American education and focuses on cultivating innovative talents of future, Dipont Huayao Collegiate creates an immersive bilingual environment with a Chinese and foreign teaching team. This is perfect for students like Eve who plan to apply for universities abroad in the future.

Cultivation and improvement of learning abilities is one thing, children's personality development is of great importance as well. Recalling the changes before and after her arrival at Dipont Huayao Collegiate, Eve's father concluded: "She is more positive and more willing to express her true opinions."

Under the exam-oriented education system, teachers are inevitably inclined to give preferential treatment to students with better grades. Back in public primary school, Eve developed a kind of pleasing teachers more or less, and a psychological habit of blind worship. At the same time, the independent consciousness and the desire to express as an independent individual were gradually hidden. "A very simple example is that she used to raise her hand to answer questions in class, just to get the teacher's attention and to make the teachers like her."

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与此相对地，Eve父母都反对“压力教育”。他们一直认为，过多的压力和过于紧绷的环境，并不会促进孩子的成长，反而会压抑他们的内心。而自从来到狄邦华曜，Eve妈妈最直观的感受是，“她有了判断对错的能力，且敢于表达自己，能将自己的想法与值得尊重的老师进行分享和交流。现在，她更愿意和一些上进且三观相符的同学们为伍，如同我们崇尚的‘发现光、靠近光、成为光’。”

Eve爸爸也说，她现在愿意主动跟父母分享学校发生的事情，遇到好事和需要改进的地方都会积极沟通，“她每天回家甚至还会讨论任课老师的教学方法，我觉得这是一种十分好的现象，至少说明孩子在思考，而非对于权威的盲从。”

而这种思考的能力跟学校整体的氛围是分不开的。一开始，对于刚入学的Eve来说，虽然多少会有不适应，但经过和学校老师同学们的相处之后，会发现学校有着实实在在的松弛有度的环境。“我们家孩子感受到了真切的安全感和幸福感，这正是青春期孩子成长所需要的环境”。

也是看到Eve在学校事务上的积极思考和自觉进步，她的父母“佛系”起来。妈妈说：“我们其实很少过问她的学业。” 但就是在这样松弛有度的学校环境和“佛系”为主的家庭教育中，孩子鲜活的个性也能充分释放。

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In contrast, both her parents are opposed to "education with pressure ". They have long believed that too much pressure or a tight environment would not promote the growth of children, but to suppress their minds. Since coming to Dipont Huayao Collegiate, the most direct feeling of Eve's mother is that "She has the ability to judge right and wrong, and dares to express herself, and can share and communicate her ideas with respected teachers. Now, she is more willing to associate with some scholars who are motivated and with similar personalities. This is just like when we say 'find the light, get close to the light, be the light'."

Eve's father also said that she is now willing to take the initiative to share with her parents what happened in school, and she will actively communicate with them about the good things, along with areas that need improvement. "She even discusses the teaching methods of teachers when she comes home every day. I think this is a very good sign, at least it shows that the child is thinking, rather than following the authority blindly."

This ability to think is inseparable from the overall atmosphere of the school. At the beginning, for newly enrolled Eve, it took time to adapt, but after getting along with the school teachers and scholars, she found that the school had a real relaxed environment. "Our kid feels a real sense of security and happiness, which is the kind of environment that teenagers need to grow up in."

After seeing Eve's positive thinking and progress in school life, her parents began to have "Buddha-like mindsets". The mother even said, "We rarely ask her about her studies." Well, even in such a relaxed school environment and a family with "Buddha-like mindsets", the child's vivid personality can still be fully released and shown.

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Extracurricular: After-school programs come to help, excellent scholars can learn, and play

初来到狄邦华曜，Eve的适应期很短。爸爸说：“她适应能力强是一方面，学校提供的资源和环境分不开也起到了很大的作用。”

的确，个性化教育作为狄邦华曜学校育人体系的核心理念，意味着每位学生的兴趣爱好、擅长领域都能够于这里探索、引导、激发，最终达成自如应对未来的学术和人生目标。

事实证明，狄邦华曜真正给予了每一位学生以支持。具体而言，对于7至8年级的学生，学校设立了非常多的互动性、趣味性较强的体验类课外活动形式。

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Eve took a short time to adapt to Dipont Huayao Collegiate actually. "Her adaptability is one thing, but the resources and environment provided by the school also played a big role," said her father.

Indeed, personalized education, as the core concept of the education system of Dipont Huayao Collegiate School, means that each scholar’s interests, hobbies and fields of expertise can be explored, guided and stimulated here, and finally they could achieve their future academic and life goals.

It turns out that Dipont Huayao Collegiate really supports each and every scholar. Specifically, for Grade 7 to 8 scholars, the school has set up a lot of interactive and interesting forms of extra-curricular activities.

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Eve热爱户外运动，从7岁就开始划皮划艇，兴趣的培养和发掘离不开父母的支持和培养。如今孩子走入寄宿制学校，家长的作用力度无形中减小，狄邦华曜勇敢接下了培养孩子的接力棒。

在校，她加入了辩论、游泳、乐队，也尝试了其他的Life Block（延展课程），课余生活十分丰富。辩论促进知识结构及大脑反应能力完善和提高，培养批判性思维以独立的角度拓展思维边界；游泳不仅强身健体，也作为一项求生技能为自身安全保驾护航；乐队丰富孩子个性，促使其灵感迸发……Eve在狄邦华曜的课余生活称得上多姿多彩。

在玩乐中把东西学到手，Eve成功把它们发展成了课余的长期爱好。爸爸说：“我对于兴趣爱好的理念就是，早期需要多方探索，而后就要有目标地把自己的兴趣玩好、玩得持久。”虽然Eve现在才八年级，不过十几岁的年龄，却也是继承了父母言传身教的兴趣与习惯，并能够长期坚持。

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Eve loves outdoor sports and has been kayaking since she was 7 years old. Her parents' support and cultivation are indispensable to her interests. Now the child gets into a boarding school, the impacts from parents virtually reduced, Dipont Huayao Collegiate bravely takes the baton of teaching and caring for children.

At school, Eve joined in the debate, swimming, band and other LifeBlocks (extended courses), and her extracurricular life is very much enriched. Debating promotes the improvement of knowledge structure and brain reaction abilities, and cultivates critical thinking to expand the boundary of thinking from an independent perspective. Swimming not only builds the body, but also protects the safety of oneself as a survival skill. The band enriches children's individuality and inspires them... The after school life of Eve at Dipont Huayao Collegiate School can be called colorful.

Learning through playing, and Eve succeeds in developing them into a long-term hobby. Her father said: "My idea of hobbies is that early exploration is needed, and then we should have a goal to play with them, and play long." Although she is now only a teenager in the eighth grade, she inherited the interests and habits of her parents, and can keep them for a long-term.

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对于未来，Eve父母坦言，并不对孩子抱有十分高的期望。“我不希望她成为什么学霸，只要她能保持现在这种乐观和向上的热情，之后的路肯定可以走得很好。”

而在我们提出采访需求的时候，妈妈也不断谦虚地强调：“Eve没有出众的才华，没有特别精彩的故事，但能成为一个温暖的普通人，我们就觉得很好！”

在这个故事中，没有“鸡娃术”，也看不到太多焦虑与彷徨。相反，松弛有度，用最自然的方式陪伴孩子成长，见证她成为一个“温暖的普通人”。

或许这就是Eve家庭带给我们最深的启发。

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As for the future, Eve's parents admitted that they did not have very high expectations for their child. "I don't want her to be an overachiever. As long as she keeps her current optimism and enthusiasm, she'll be fine in the future."

When we asked for an interview, her mother kept saying humbly: "Eve has no outstanding talents and no particularly wonderful stories, but we would feel very good if she can become an ordinary person, with a warm heart!"

In this story, there is no method of“Tiger parenting”, and there is not much anxiety or hesitation. On the contrary, accompanying the child's growth with the most natural way, a relaxed way, and witnessing her become a "warm ordinary person".

Perhaps this is the deepest inspiration that Eve’s family can bring to us.

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