The final leg of the third annual Wellington College Festival of Education China has taken place in Tianjin. This year’s event saw a significant increase of both scale and number of participants, and has expanded to cover three cities—Shanghai, Hangzhou and Tianjin. The Festival brought together more than 40 prominent speakers from around the world to give over 90 speeches on a diverse range of topics on education.

Initiated by Wellington College in the UK, the Wellington College Festival of Education has been running successfully for 7 consecutive years. As a benchmark educational event in the UK, the Festival attracts thousands of participants to discuss hot topics in education every year. In 2015 Wellington College introduced the Festival to China. Dr. Stephen Jacobi, Chairman of the Festival, said: “Every year we hold this Festival, through which we think about and explore the true nature and development trends of education, and encourage debate in these areas. Rapid development around the world requires increasing vitality in teaching so as to respond to the changing demands of current times.”
 

Based on positive feedback from two previous China-based festivals in 2015 and 2016, this year’s festival chose to focus on four core themes: Early Education, Wellbeing (stress, body image, and mental health), the joint relationship between Chinese and British education, and Exploring Education, which will challenge accepted practices and teaching. The Festival brought together major industry figures from China and around the world over four days to discuss these meaningful topics, providing fresh perspectives and exploring ways to work together to shape the future of education.

At each location, this year’s event offered a variety of keynote speeches and interactive activities for teachers, parents and pupils. Education experts from China and around the world shared their views and debated and exchanged ideas on a diverse range of topics.
 

Speaking in Tianjin, Mr. Julian Jeffrey, Master of Wellington College International Tianjin, delivered the opening speech for the Festival in Tianjin. He said, “We have come together in this forum to share ideas and learn something new. If education is a journey, then it must be a journey that rewards the traveller. ”

Mr. Julian Jeffrey, Master of Wellington College International Tianjin delivers his opening speech
天津惠灵顿国际学校校长Julian Jeffrey朱利安•杰弗里发表开幕致辞

A key theme of this year’s festival was early education. Keynote speakers shared strategies and tactics to deliver effective and successful early childhood education. In the early years education system at Wellington College, the school serves to inspire curiosity and passion in children, and focuses on three fundamental areas – “language communication, physical development, and individual, social and emotional development.” This is aimed at strengthening the basic skills and knowledge children need for successful integration into society, such as the ability to read and write, mathematical and logical skills, cognitive ability, the ability to express, and art design.
 

With the accelerated pace of education, educators and parents have paid increasing attentions to the educational convergence between China and the West. At the event in Tianjin, Dr. Yang Yang, the Deputy Headmaster, Wellington College International Tianjin, and Mr. Paul Findlay, Head of EAL, Wellington College International Tianjin, discussed the implications of bilingual education and the merging of eastern and western methods. Paul Findlay said, “I believe that when differences occur in eastern and western educational methods, the two sides must come together and find a middle way. We should emphasise our similarities and not impose anything on other cultures. For me, the middle way is about building a bridge, and if we can do this, then we will achieve a truly international style of education. But that bridge can only be completed if it contains one crucial component – trust.”

Mr. Paul Findlay, Head of EAL, Wellington College International Tianjin
英语作为第二语言（EAL）学科主管Paul Findlay 保罗•芬德利就东西方教育融合发表演讲

Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin Nursery officially opened its doors to pupils in September 2017. Situated on the main campus, The Nest, it offers an Early Years Bilingual programme for boys and girls between the ages of 2-6. At Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin Nursery, their unique approach comprises an exposure to both Chinese and English, fostering bilingualism and biliteracy. The Wellington College bilingual immersion experience offers each and every pupil their own, personalised learning journey.
 

Ian Warwick, the senior director of London Gifted & Talented, has taken part in Wellington College Festival of Education for several years. At his first keynote speech in Tianjin, he discussed effective learning for pupils. During the speech, he mentioned that, “Learning is like the overlapping of waves. It is a gradual ebbing and flowing of frequencies and alternative ways of thinking; new approaches are added and old ones eliminated. Instead of providing children with external motivations, teachers should focus on stimulating their internal motivations.”

Ian Warwick, Senior Director of London Gifted & Talented shares his educational insights with parents
伦敦资优集团资深总监Ian Warwick 伊恩•沃里克与来宾分享教育心得

This is in line with the Wellington approach, to stimulate children’s curiosity and passion for learning, and helping them think independently. Wellington College hopes that parents and pupils will focus on long term development, not just academic achievement. To achieve this, Wellington College holds a “Wellbeing” programme that teaches pupils how to live a healthy lifestyle and the innovative discipline of positive psychology. It is this spirit of innovation and discovery that has kept Wellington College at the forefront of education for over 100 years.

Shonette Bason
Motivational Speaker, Spread the Happiness
肖耐特‧巴森
励志演说家, 传播快乐慈善机构

Exploration in education at the Festival not only serves as a challenge to norms, but is also an effort to find better ways for children to discover their talents. Wellington College focuses on the training of soft skills required in the 21st century, helping pupils to enhance independent learning, creative thinking, teamwork, practical skills and a wellbeing.

教育盛事津门再掀热潮 共襄教育发展新格局
——第三届惠灵顿中国教育节完美收官

2017年10月23日，第三届惠灵顿中国教育节在天津圆满落幕。今年的教育节不论是举办规模还是参与人数均较之以往有较大提升，并首次由上海一城扩展到三个城市：上海、杭州和天津。自10月20日正式启动以来，共邀请到40多位来自世界各地的演讲嘉宾，进行了90多场丰富多彩的演讲。
 

惠灵顿教育节起源于英国惠灵顿公学，已成功举办七年之久，每年都会吸引成百上千对教育感兴趣的观众欢聚一堂，共同探讨时下教育热点，可谓是英国每年一度的教育盛事。自2015年，英国惠灵顿公学将教育节首次引进中国。惠灵顿中国教育节总监史蒂芬•雅克比博士说：“我们每年定期举办教育节，这也代表了我们致力于不断思索和探究教育的本真和发展方向，鼓励以此展开的话题辩论。世界的快速发展，也要求我们的教学不断保持活力，响应时代的需求、跟上变化的脚步。”
 

继过去两年成功举办后参与者的积极反馈，今年的惠灵顿中国教育节继续锁定四大主题“早期教育焦点”、“论幸福（身心健康）”、“发展中的罗曼史”和“探索教育”展开，时隔一年，再次带来新一轮的“头脑风暴”。来自中国、英国及其他国家的教育专家、学者、嘉宾汇聚一堂，与众多学生家长、教育同仁一起，共同探讨和交流教育的未来发展之路。
 

主题演讲精彩纷呈 教学相长收获满满

本届惠灵顿中国教育节的每一站都为老师、家长和学生准备不同主题的精彩演讲和互动环节，来自不同国家及地区的教育专家各抒己见，为活动参与者带来一场场观点迥异、精彩纷呈的思维大碰撞，让所有对教育有兴趣的人士都能够在此激辩、交流、分享和互动，以丰富的内容激发着每一个参与者对教育的思考。
 

天津惠灵顿国际学校校长Julian Jeffrey朱利安•杰弗里在天津教育节的开幕致辞中称：“举办教育节是为了分享观点、学习新东西。如果教育是一场旅行的话，那么这场旅行必须要造福旅者。”
 

教育先哲苏格拉底曾经说：“教育的智慧在于唤醒。” 对于儿童早期教育来说，这种“唤醒”尤为重要。儿童早期教育并不只是“尽情玩耍”，也不仅是要从外部解放孩子，而且要唤醒孩子内在的心灵能量与人格理想，解放孩子的智慧，发展孩子的潜能，激发孩子的生命创造力。而在惠灵顿的早教体系中，就非常重视激发孩子的好奇心和学习热情，并着重发展“语言沟通、体能发展、个人、社会和情感发展”三大基础领域，由此增强让孩子成功融入社会所必备的基本技能和知识，例如读写能力、数学和逻辑能力、认知能力、表现力和艺术设计。
 

随着全球化的步伐越来越快，中西方之间的教育碰撞也得到了越来越多教育界人士和家长的重视。本届惠灵顿教育节上，天津惠灵顿国际学校副校长、杨洋博士，英语作为第二语言（EAL）学科主管Paul Findlay 保罗•芬德利携同中外资深教育人士与家长共同探讨了双语教育及东西教育融合背景下的教学意义。在谈及东西方教育碰撞后的“融合”一题， Paul Findlay 老师指出，“ 当东西方教育发生碰撞的时候，我们需要以一种系统化的方式来找到最好的折中方案——在两者之间搭建出一座桥梁，这也是国际教育的目的，而信任，就是这座桥梁的重点。 ”
 

同时，已于2017年9月正式开校的天津惠灵顿双语幼儿园也在遵循本地教育大纲的基础上，结合中英教育之所长，学校保证学生中英文各一半的学习环境，为学生营造中文和英文的双语教学氛围，在沉浸式的语言环境和个性化的专业指导中提高学生的双语能力，打造具备国际视野的双语人才。
 

伦敦资优集团资深总监Ian Warwick 伊恩•沃里克曾多次参加教育节，此次他首次来到天津，为现场观众带来一场关于如何让孩子高效学习的思辨演讲，内容新颖。他在主题演讲中提到，“ 学习就像是海浪拍打海滩，浪花既会不断创造新的高度，也会不断退回，因此学习是一个在不断积累同时也在不断忘记的过程。相较于外部激励，教育者更重要的任务是让孩子发现自己内心的激励。”
 

这也与惠灵顿的教育理念不谋而合，通过激发孩子的好奇心与学习热情、锻炼其独立思考能力，惠灵顿希望家长和学生们不要把教育的目标仅指向好成绩，而是要关注学生们的全面发展、长远人生。为了实现这一目标，惠灵顿还开设了与其他基础学科同等重要的一项核心课程——幸福课程，关注孩子多方面的均衡发展。正是这种不断探索、寻求教育本真的精神让惠灵顿公学在百多年的发展中一直站在教育界前列。
 

本届教育节，来自世界各地的专家学者为我们带来了一场场精彩纷呈的主题分享，他们对于教育的探索，不仅是对固有经验的挑战，更是为了寻找更正确的方法，让孩子成为最优秀的自己。在这个方向上，惠灵顿拥有探索中形成的、注重21世纪软技能的培养，让教育不再只局限于校内，而是服务于学生的整个人生道路。这种模式，能够让孩子们拥有自主学习的习惯、并富有创造性思维、团队合作精神和实操能力以及有健全的人格等。更重要的是，他们在很小的时候就开始探索自己的人生道路，激发对幸福的追求。

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