2023年4月22日，第六届惠灵顿（中国）教育节在上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校隆重举办。本届教育节邀请到近40位业界权威、意见领袖发表演讲、主持研讨会及工作坊，吸引了约800名观众倾情参与。在为期一天的精彩活动中，与会者收获了众多启迪思考的前沿信息、教育理念及最佳实践，覆盖未来教育发展的方方面面。继成功举办六届后，惠灵顿（中国）教育节已成为国内领先的教育行业交流盛会，为广大教育学者及致力于推动教育发展的人士提供了难能可贵的“各抒己见，畅所欲言”的机会。
凝心聚力共赴教育未来
“正如一句非洲谚语所言，‘养育一个孩子，需要举全村之力’”，惠灵顿（中国）创始人、理事长乔英女士表示，“对于所有教育行业从业者而言，支持和培养孩子成长为幸福健康、五育并举的未来人才，始终是我们工作的重中之重。而达成这一目标需要我们的学生、家长和老师‘三位一体’携手并进，这也是我们此次确立‘凝心聚力共赴教育未来’作为本届教育节主题的原因。”
围绕这一主题，本届教育节设立了五大议题：培养双语学者、聚焦早期教育、关注学生幸福、提升教师培训、展望未来教育。契合时下热点及业内焦点的五大议题激发了热烈探讨，并引申出众多话题交流，如：20年后的学校发展及变化、全球优秀学校先进的教学方法、教育与学习的未来发展、如何培养学生成长为最好的自己、教师实现理想教育所需的技能等。从创新理论的介绍探讨，到杰出实践的经验分析，每一场活动均让参与者受益匪浅。
学生和教师的幸福关怀及健康成长
本届教育节有幸邀请到上海纽约大学荣誉校长俞立中教授发表了题为《新时代教育变革的机遇和挑战》的主旨演讲。演讲中，俞校长强调：“快速变化的世界增加了不确定性，更需要我们理性地面对各种挑战和问题，坚持改革开放的初心，坚持人文交流，坚守人类命运共同体的底线。而教育和文化是人文交流的重要内涵。”对于教育国际合作、教育变革、信息化与人工智能等方面，俞校长所持观点与鞭辟入里的剖析，引发了在场观众的如潮掌声。
开场致辞及主旨演讲告一段落后，各分会场活动随即如火如荼地展开。其中，针对“聚焦早期教育” 议题，雷焦式教学法启发顾问Lola Alvarez发表了《早期教育阶段，看视觉数学如何提升学子数感》的演讲；麦琪萝丝杭州区域运营总监、课程教育中心总监王梦宇分享了《如何通过食育课程让1-6岁的孩子理解身边的世界》；由惠灵顿（中国）上海幼儿园总园长Charlotte Knight-Benjafield主持的见解独到的工作坊，则聚焦家庭关系的积极力量。
身心健康、内心幸福是学子茁壮成长的必要条件，这也是为什么幸福关怀在全人教育中占据着举足轻重的地位。本届教育节特别设立了“关注学生幸福”这一议题，并邀请到了众多业内专家及教育学者与家长、教师探讨，如何呵护每一个孩子幸福成长。其中，曼朗医疗心理总监郭峰博士引领与会者深入了解“厌学”这一现象，旨在关注其背后成因，及如何帮助孩子渡过难关。学建创始人、总监Andrew Hill发表了《学校服务与上海社群服务》的演讲，分享了许多后疫情时代学生参与社群服务的机会。上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校的两位老师Helen Heatley和Martina Resende，则将自己一手创建的积极行为干预课程“阳光俱乐部”介绍给了更广泛的受众。
英国惠灵顿公学副校长（教育发展及伙伴关系）Iain Henderson则发表了《共情成长的教练VS循规蹈矩的教练》和《“哈克尼斯圆桌教学法”的介绍及实施》两场演讲，为教育工作者们带来了切实有效的培训技巧及教学方法。
双语学者构建国际交流的桥梁
“培养双语学者”同样是备受欢迎的议题。在这一议题下，英国国家口语教育慈善机构Voice 21项目总监Alice Stott发表了两场演讲，聚焦如何运用口语表达和谈话改变孩子的学习方式，进而抓住未来的人生机遇。她的再度参与也标志着惠灵顿（中国）教育节重迎海外嘉宾亲临现场带来精彩演说，“我很高兴再次来到教育节，向观众们介绍语言教育如何帮助学生架起沟通的桥梁、改变他们的生活。”
此外，北京市海嘉双语学校K-12中文校长兼教育研究院执行院长伍丹履深入浅出地讲解了支撑双语教育的三大支柱；惠灵顿杭州校区中学部主任Helen McCann则分享了赋能双语教育的要点。
值得一提的是，继本届惠灵顿（中国）教育节成功举办后，惠灵顿（中国）创始人、理事长乔英及上海幼儿园总园长Charlotte Knight-Benjafield将应邀出席于今年7月举办的英国惠灵顿公学教育节，目前该教育节已吸引到逾5000位与会者报名参与。其间，乔英女士将分享双语教育如何架起东西方沟通桥梁，Knight-Benjafield女士则将介绍惠灵顿（中国）惠立教育模式下的早期双语教育。
在丰富多彩的活动之间，精彩纷呈的惠灵顿学子表演、独具特色的学生作品艺术展览让与会者目不暇接。更有多家鼎力支持教育节的合作伙伴于现场设展，提供多样化服务。
精彩绝伦的教育节活动在惠灵顿（中国）教育节总监Julian Jeffrey的致辞中拉下帷幕，“今天我们所参与的活动是一场后疫情时代下教育行业的交流盛事。我们的诸位嘉宾并不是简单回顾了疫情期间的教育现象，而是直面当下我们所处的新时代。无论是演讲、工作坊还是圆桌论坛，嘉宾们都在引领着我们思继往、明开来，帮助老师、学生、家长等所有社群成员共同展望未来教育的发展面貌，并全力以赴为其做好充分准备。”
关于惠灵顿（中国）教育节
惠灵顿（中国）教育节起源于英国惠灵顿公学教育节，目前已成为行业公认的标志性国际化教育交流盛事。自2015年10月首次开办以来，惠灵顿（中国）教育节同英国惠灵顿公学教育节一样，吸引了众多与会者倾情参与，面对现代教育中的相关问题及重要议题，共同探索、尽享、求知、探讨、互动。
Harnessing the Power of the Many
Wellington College China holds its 6th Festival of Education and explores the power of ‘Collaboration in Education’
23 April, Shanghai, China — Wellington College China held yet another successful instalment of its Festival of Education on 22nd April. This year’s Festival brought together nearly 40 thought leaders in education and 800 attendees at Wellington College International Shanghai. Together, they took part in a day of informative and inspiring talks, panel discussions and workshops covering the latest developments in education.
Now in its sixth edition, Wellington College China’s Festival of Education is one of China’s leading forums for educators and general enthusiasts seeking insights on everything from career development to cutting-edge theories and new teaching techniques.
Collaboration in Education
“It takes a village to raise a child,” said Joy Qiao, Wellington College China Founder and Chairman. “We all know how important it is to support our children, ensuring they become happy, healthy and well-rounded individuals. But it takes the collaboration between our pupils, parents and teachers to achieve that. That is why we chose ‘Collaboration in Education’ as this year’s theme.”
This theme was the lens through which this year’s speakers and attendees examined the Festival’s five key strands: Developing Bilingual Learners, Early Years Education, Counselling/Pupil Support, Teacher Training and Future Schools. These strands sparked stimulating conversations around how schools can bring out the best in their pupils and staff through informed, evidence-based work in wellbeing and mental health.
In the process, participants explored compelling questions, like how will schools operate 20 years from now? What (and how) will the world’s best schools be teaching their pupils? What is on the horizon for teaching and learning? What skills will help our pupils become the best version of themselves? What tools do educators need to ensure these skills are taught?
Happier and healthier pupils and teachers
Following opening remarks, Professor Lizhong Yu, Chancellor Emeritus of NYU Shanghai kicked off the day’s events with a keynote speech. It was a call to action for more humanistic exchanges through education in the face of COVID-19, artificial intelligence and shifts in the global geopolitical landscape.
The Early Years Education strand figured prominently throughout the day. Reggio Emilia consultant Lola Alvarez led a discussion on how visual mathematics can enhance numeracy in our youngest learners. Mia Wang of Maggie & Rose shared the many ways that food education programmes can teach young children about the world around them. Wellington College International Shanghai and Huili Nursery Shanghai’s Executive Head of Early Years, Charlotte Knight-Benjafield, delivered an insightful session focused on the power of positive parent relationships.
Healthy and happy pupils are successful pupils, which is why mental health and wellbeing are essential pillars to any holistic education provision. As part of the Festival’s Counselling/Pupil Support strand, several educators and mental health professionals shared their insights in how parents and teachers can foster wellbeing so our pupils can flourish. Dr Davy Guo, Director of Psychology at Mindfront, led an informative session on strategies to overcome the phenomenon of ‘school refusal’.
Andrew Hill, Director of ELG, made the case for community engagement with a session entitled ‘Service at Your School and in the Shanghai Community’. Also, Wellington College International Shanghai’s own Helen Heatley and Martina Resende introduced their highly successful positive behaviour intervention programme, the Sunshine Club, to a wider audience.
Iain Henderson, Deputy Head (Educational Developments and Partnerships) of Wellington College in the UK, also contributed to the conversation as it pertains to our educators with a talk titled ‘Coaching for Growth with Compassion vs. Coaching for Compliance’.
Building bilingual better
Bilingual education was another salient topic. Alice Stott of Voice 21 gave two talks on the transformative power of oracy in education. Ms Stott’s talk also marked a welcome return of international speakers joining the debate in person. “I am glad to be back in Shanghai for EdFest once again to share ideas on how language education can build bridges and transform lives,” Ms Stott remarked.
Additionally, Delinda Wu of the Beijing International Bilingual Academy explained the three pillars of an effective bilingual education programme. Helen McCann, Assistant Head of Junior High and Senior School at Huili School Hangzhou, shared ways to empower bilingual voices.
Moreover, following the success of this year’s Festival, Joy Qiao and Charlotte Knight-Benjafield have been invited to speak before over 5000 attendees at the Festival of Education at Wellington College in England this July. Ms Qiao will speak about the role of bilingual education in building cultural bridges and Ms Knight-Benjafield will share Wellington College China’s Huili School model for bilingual early years education.
The day’s agenda was also interspersed with collaborative art exhibits and music performances by some very promising and talented Wellington pupils. Guests also had the opportunity to learn more about the events many sponsor partners in the Festival’s vendor exhibition space.
The day’s events finally ended with a speech by Julian Jeffrey, Chief Executive Master of Wellington College China, who remarked, “What we have experienced here today are the beginnings of the post-pandemic world of educational thought leadership.
Far from simply trying to pick up the threads of the pre-COVID educational scene, our speakers have tackled head-on the new environment in which we find ourselves. Whether in talks, workshops or roundtables, our contributors have helped us to make sense of the recent past and to prepare us all – teachers, pupils and parents – for the world of schooling as it will be, not how we might wish it could have been.”
A benchmark educational event
The Wellington College China Festival of Education has its origins in the Festival of Education at Wellington College in England, which is now recognised as a benchmark international educational event. Since its inauguration in October 2015, the China Festival has enjoyed similar success in attracting large numbers of participants to consider and reflect on the most relevant and important questions facing modern education.
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