On 17 March, 2025, YCIS Shanghai（Gubei Campus) hosted the graduation ceremony of the Changning District Kindergarten Key Teachers’ On-the-Job Training Programme. 

The event was lively and well-attended by distinguished guests, including Mr Lv Hongbo, Dean of the Changning District Institute of Education; Mr Hu Guoyong, Director of the International Teacher Education Centre of Shanghai Normal University; Ms Niu Chunyan, Head of the Early Childhood Education Division of the Changning District Education Bureau; Mr Chen Dejiang, Deputy Head of the Changning District Institute of Education; Ms Li Yan, Researcher at the Changning District Institute of Education; and leaders from both local and international school administrations at YCIS Shanghai.

Together, they celebrated and witnessed this significant milestone. 
 

The ceremony was hosted by Ms Daisy Xu, ECE Chinese Coordinator at YCIS Puxi. She first warmly welcomed the guests and teachers on behalf of the school and expressed sincere gratitude. She then introduced the training, which was hosted by the International Education Research Office of the Changning District Institute of Education. The training aimed to enhance the professional capabilities of Changning District kindergarten teachers, promote communication and cooperation between teachers, and inject new energy into the development of early childhood education. 

Mr Chen Dejiang, Deputy Director of the Changning District Institute of Education, delivered a speech. He expressed gratitude for YCIS’s support and collaboration with Changning Education and emphasized that this on-the-job training, through observation and educational discussions, facilitated in-depth exchanges between Changning and YCIS’s early childhood education, broadening teachers’ international perspectives and understanding of global early childhood education concepts. He invited the attendees to watch a video recapping the training journey and praised each teacher’s growth in their professional development. 

On the day of the ceremony, three teacher representatives shared their reflections and experiences. 

Ms Zhou Zhanghuang from the Yuyuan Road First Kindergarten expressed her gratitude for YCIS’s meticulous organization of the event, which deepened her understanding of the importance of building strong relationships with each child. She also shared her realization that the concept of “the environment as the third teacher” was evident during the campus observation, which reinforced her awareness of the importance of the environment in supporting children’s exploration and learning. 

Ms Zhang Yi from Haibei Kindergarten shared her thoughts as a representative of the key teachers. She mentioned that during her five-day exchange program at YCIS, she observed how teachers played multiple roles in daily activities, which gave her a clearer understanding of the sustainable development of child-led curriculum. 

Ms Liu Yanting from Xianxia Road Second Kindergarten, as a student representative, gave a speech in which she expressed that the classroom environment design at YCIS had left a deep impression on her. The thoughtfully designed teaching spaces, open teaching resources, and visualized thinking in the environment sparked the children’s curiosity and exploration, proving that “the environment as the third teacher” played a purposeful role in supporting children’s learning and development. 

During the panel, Ms Gladys Au, ECE Superintendent of the YCYW, engaged in an in-depth conversation with the three teacher representatives. The teachers raised questions about issues and dilemmas in their current kindergarten practices, and we are grateful for Ms Gladys' insightful sharing of how to integrate the 12 values of YCIS into daily activities and for providing valuable perspectives on the matter. 

Professor Hu Guoyong, the invited expert, gave an evaluation of the teacher training activity. He noted that through the heartfelt speeches of the teacher representatives, he could feel the teachers’ dedication and emotional investment in this training. He shared his international educational experience and offered insightful views, which were greatly appreciated by all participants. He emphasized that focusing on teaching details and actions is a key factor in advancing educational concepts. 

As the host, Ms Jane Sun, Chinese Co-Principal, and Mr Ryan Peet, Western Co-Principal of YCIS Puxi, delivered speeches to thank all participants and expressed their hopes for continued cooperation to advance early childhood education. They believe that international educational exchange within a shared community will expand the perspectives of both teachers and students, promote professional development, and provide support for the growth of early childhood education in Changning.  

Ms Niu Chunyan, Head of the Early Childhood Education Division at the Changning District Education Bureau, congratulated the teachers for successfully completing their training tasks. She thanked the Changning District Institute of Education for providing valuable learning opportunities and platforms, and expressed gratitude for YCIS’s generous teaching. The on-the-job training not only enhanced understanding but also fostered friendship. She hopes for more cooperation between schools in Changning District to jointly advance early childhood education. 

Finally, Ms Lv Hongbo, Dean of the Changning District Institute of Education, delivered a speech. She elegantly conveyed the importance of integrating Eastern and Western educational philosophies, emphasizing the need to learn from one another’s experiences and build on each other’s strengths. She further explained that international education is not limited to Western educational models and that China’s traditional culture also holds valuable educational wisdom, which needs to be inherited and integrated into contemporary international education practices. She proposed strengthening interaction and communication between public and international schools to promote mutual progress in educational teaching. She also eagerly hopes that international school teachers will enter Changning District public school classrooms to facilitate broader exchanges, enriching educational resources and sparking educational innovation. 

In a warm and heartfelt atmosphere, groups of participants received their certificates, and leaders presented each teacher with their graduation certificates. After the group award ceremony, all the leaders, mentors, and participants were invited to take a group photo in front of the stage to capture this beautiful moment. The thoughtful design of the award ceremony conveyed the educational concept of “respect and admiration” from YCIS’s 12 values.

The graduation ceremony concluded successfully, with participants expressing their anticipation for more future cooperation and exchange. The tea and snacks provided at the venue allowed everyone to further exchange ideas in an enjoyable atmosphere. 

This “Changning District Kindergarten Key Teachers’ On-the-Job Training Programme Partnership with International Schools” marks another significant step forward for Changning District’s early childhood education on the path of internationalization. It not only benefits more students, teachers, and kindergartens but also lays the foundation for the internationalization goals in Changning’s 14th Five-Year Plan for education.