他如何憑最具挑戰(zhàn)的A Level全球視野課程脫穎而出

對于擅長學(xué)習(xí)理科的中國學(xué)生來說，他如何憑最具挑戰(zhàn)的A Level全球視野等文科類課程在大學(xué)申請中脫穎而出。

一直以來，劍橋注重培養(yǎng)學(xué)生的五大品質(zhì)——樂觀自信、認(rèn)真負(fù)責(zé)、勤學(xué)善問、 勇于創(chuàng)新、積極主動。

而隨著時代的迅速變化，劍橋意識到了必須要做好迎接未來世界的準(zhǔn)備。

為此，劍橋針對5-19歲的學(xué)生開設(shè)了一門創(chuàng)新型課程——全球視野。

這門課程一推出就受到廣泛歡迎，目前已在小學(xué)，初中及高中階段全面開設(shè)，以幫助不同年齡段的學(xué)習(xí)者發(fā)展研究、分析、評估、思考、合作和溝通技能。

——頂思

不列顛哥倫比亞大學(xué)（University of British Columbia，簡稱UBC，又名“英屬哥倫比亞大學(xué)”），始建于1908年，是加拿大著名公立研究型大學(xué)，環(huán)太平洋大學(xué)聯(lián)盟（APRU）成員 ，是不列顛哥倫比亞省歷史最悠久的大學(xué)，學(xué)校位于溫哥華市。

UBC包含溫哥華校區(qū)（總校區(qū)）和奧肯納根校區(qū)，與麥吉爾大學(xué)、多倫多大學(xué)并稱加拿大大學(xué)“三強”，并在經(jīng)歷了百余年的長足發(fā)展后，逐漸成為蜚聲全球的頂級綜合研究型大學(xué)，在加拿大國內(nèi)的排名中始終保持前三名之列，其學(xué)術(shù)實力多年保持在世界前35，是全球最頂尖的20所公立大學(xué)之一。

施羅德的UBC錄取通知書 施羅德初二在我校入讀

五年的成長有目共睹看施羅德如何評價自己五年的成長和變化

玩電腦，睡懶覺，上課不聽講，這就是我初中生活的全部寫照。

剛來到新學(xué)道時，當(dāng)時憑著自己的較為良好的英語基礎(chǔ)就在班上“頹廢”。

全然不覺我周圍的同學(xué)都在奮起直追，而我還在“坐吃山空”，直到初中畢業(yè)考試中我最擅長的英語也只得了B，而別的科目，尤其是理科，更是慘不忍睹。

看著眼前的成績單，我不禁開始思考這樣的學(xué)習(xí)狀態(tài)真的是我想要的嗎？在父母和Nash校長的開導(dǎo)下，我的學(xué)習(xí)態(tài)度重新步入了正軌。

在2015下半年，我們遷到了新校區(qū)，同時意味著我的A Level課程開始了。

無論是歷史，生物還是全球視野都對我造成了不少挑戰(zhàn)。

因為這些科目里充斥著大量晦澀難懂的生詞，即使是英語自認(rèn)不錯的我也感到焦頭爛額。

為此我甚至五點半到教學(xué)樓背單詞，晚上下晚自習(xí)之后也會強迫自己留下來整理筆記學(xué)到十一點半。

在學(xué)期結(jié)束的考試中我從之前的舉步維艱變得游刃有余。

而且上課聽講效率有了顯著的提升，之前我的歷史課只能勉強聽懂一半，現(xiàn)在甚至可以輕松的和歷史老師談笑風(fēng)生，這對于當(dāng)時剛剛學(xué)習(xí)A Level的我來說是完全無法想象的。

2018年3月6號對于我來說是個特別的日子，當(dāng)時正在上生物課的我收到了我的第一個大學(xué)offer，是來自加拿大排名前二的UBC大學(xué)。

這對于我來說是對于我勤奮最好的肯定。

難以想象如果沒有新學(xué)道提供的平臺；沒有Nash校長的諄諄教誨；沒有各科老師對于我學(xué)習(xí)的指導(dǎo)；沒有來自家長的支持與肯定，今天的我又何去何從呢？

雅思7分

沒有校外補課

學(xué)習(xí)三門對于中國學(xué)生最具挑戰(zhàn)的

A Level全球視野、生物、歷史

此次收到UBC的Offer

我們?nèi)熒紴樗吲d外方校長納什校長

來自外方校長納什校長：

在新學(xué)道教育體系下，我陪伴著施羅德學(xué)習(xí)了5年。

眼看著他從一個激情又單純的少年，如今長大成為一個聰明陽光、言談睿智的小青年，并具備了入學(xué)國際名校的能力，這對我來說是一段非凡的教育歷程。

當(dāng)然，對于這段歷程來說，施羅德是一個不可或缺的好苗子。

而正是我們的教師團隊和新學(xué)道的教育理念，使得這段歷程得以順利進行。

以英語學(xué)習(xí)為例。

在英語國家留學(xué)，高水平的英語口語和寫作能力無疑是必須的。

通過新學(xué)道5年的學(xué)習(xí)，逐步地進步，施羅德的英語已經(jīng)達到了接近英語母語者的水平，并獲得了雅思7分的高分。

這得歸功于他面對一門新語種時那種無所畏懼的心態(tài)。

焦慮或許是學(xué)好一門外語最大的障礙。

施羅德帶著自信和沉著跨越了這個障礙。

然而，他之所以有此成就，是因為新學(xué)道為每個孩子所提供的高素質(zhì)、經(jīng)驗豐富的英國師資。

新學(xué)道教育并沒有因為著重于孩子們的英語教學(xué)而忽略掉中國的課程，對于像施羅德這樣的孩子，這種教育無疑太局限了。

事實是，新學(xué)道教育向孩子們提供的是英語和中國文化互相協(xié)調(diào)與融合的一個當(dāng)代全球化世界的縮影，從而給孩子們塑造全新的文化和理念。

在新學(xué)道的雙語學(xué)術(shù)環(huán)境里，不論用中文或是英文，學(xué)生們都能與新學(xué)道在全球招募的優(yōu)秀中外籍教師進行蘇格拉底式對話。

施羅德在過去的5年里，每天面臨著的都是數(shù)不盡的機會，因此他的智慧也得以與日俱增。

關(guān)于這次教育歷程，我想說的第二方面是創(chuàng)造力和表現(xiàn)力。

當(dāng)然，在這方面上，施羅德也為我們提供了一個好的素材，即一個開放的頭腦，一個總是尋找方法去表達其觀點和興奮的頭腦。

然而，新學(xué)道深知，沒有訓(xùn)練和自我約束的話，創(chuàng)造力將會是一種不可預(yù)測的能量。

和其他所有學(xué)生一樣，施羅德經(jīng)過了書法和武術(shù)的訓(xùn)練，這些都是極富創(chuàng)造力的藝術(shù)，通過實際操作并體會其含義，我們的學(xué)生學(xué)到了如何控制他們的創(chuàng)造能量并使這些能量專注。

正如在書法中去構(gòu)造一個字一樣，寫一篇A Level歷史論文同樣需要有點有面、對重要論點進行闡述、避免無關(guān)的拼湊、以自信優(yōu)雅的姿態(tài)對主題做出回應(yīng)。

有了外教指導(dǎo)老師的引領(lǐng)，施羅德從只能用英語來組織觀點，進步到用精確而地道的詞表達復(fù)雜的觀點，就像書法家精于運筆一樣。

同時施羅德的巨大進步也得益于新學(xué)道教育環(huán)境所融合的文學(xué)熏陶。

可以說，正是那些可以比肩查爾斯迪金斯和中國魯迅的老師們，開化了施羅德的大腦。

2016年，他有幸遇到了來自英國東安格利亞大學(xué)、對文學(xué)和創(chuàng)造藝術(shù)深有研究的Morton老師。

他們共同導(dǎo)演了英國作家查爾斯狄更斯的名作“圣誕頌歌”。

在劇中，施羅德?lián)沃餮荩坏岣吡俗约旱谋磉_能力，還鍛煉了話劇的編劇和導(dǎo)演能力，成功地將故事的核心思想呈現(xiàn)給觀眾。

該劇還被推到一個國際水平，因為Morton先生鼓勵施羅德參加由英國莎士比亞協(xié)會組織的國際莎士比亞專題討論會。

當(dāng)施羅德用雙語向Skype觀眾毫不畏懼地表演著“羅密歐與朱麗葉”中的臺詞，然后用英語探討該劇在中英文化的解讀時，這對于新學(xué)道，是一個無比自豪的時刻。

最后，我想說說施羅德教育中的國際元素。

他帶來學(xué)校的，是一顆開放的心，既想融入近在眼前的中國，又想了解遠在天邊的全世界。

在我們的國際文化課上，他是明星學(xué)生，從美國土著文化，到美國總統(tǒng)的杰出成就，他都侃侃而談，呈現(xiàn)給我們深刻而豐富的報告。

這門課為高中A Level全球視野和世界歷史課程做了完美的準(zhǔn)備。

這些預(yù)修課程體現(xiàn)出的教育哲學(xué)是：只學(xué)習(xí)客觀事實是不夠的，而是要通過解讀與辯論這樣的辯證過程來獲得真相和貫通。

換句話說，新學(xué)道已經(jīng)將他那開放的頭腦培養(yǎng)成了一個具有批判性思維、熱愛提出問題的頭腦，這樣的頭腦不僅可以對世界提出機智的問題，還武裝了尋找答案的有力的方法。

所以，當(dāng)您看到施羅德帶領(lǐng)學(xué)校辯論隊參加國際比賽，也就不奇怪了。

豐富多樣的新學(xué)道教育，為他申請去加拿大最好的大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)國際關(guān)系提供了平臺。

在他的申請中，核心的一部分是個人陳述。

在此我想對他的個人陳述說一點看法。

我們所有學(xué)生均參加了學(xué)校的“社團與領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力”項目。

施羅德也曾和團隊一起去山西農(nóng)村支教。

在那里，他十分投入，一邊幫助孩子們學(xué)習(xí)，一邊努力去體會當(dāng)?shù)亟逃缪莸慕巧痛嬖诘膯栴}。

在他的個人陳述中，他對教育這個復(fù)雜的話題從地方、國家和世界的角度進行了深入闡述，展現(xiàn)了他獨到的知識和理解。

更重要的是，他還以無比謙遜和自我批評的方式，描述了自己學(xué)業(yè)上的不足，以及純粹的想要用大學(xué)知識來糾正和提高自己的愿望。

我相信，施羅德就是新學(xué)道教育核心和靈魂的代表。

接下來的大學(xué)生活，我們將繼續(xù)共同努力，使這個來到我們學(xué)校的青年才子，發(fā)揮出他完全的潛力。

來自全球視野、歷史外教Mr.Cunliffe老師：

我叫Cunliffe，是Andy(施羅德)的A Level歷史和全球視野課老師。

歷史尤其需要學(xué)生對過去的事件具有豐富的知識。

我教給Andy的技能使他在這些科目上取得了優(yōu)異的成績。

寫作技能

兩門科目均要求學(xué)生用學(xué)術(shù)英語進行論證。

Andy的英語非常好，為A Level課程的成功奠定了重要的基礎(chǔ)。

在給Andy上課的過程中，我著重培養(yǎng)他以下幾方面的寫作技能：

論證；

用清晰的脈絡(luò)解釋復(fù)雜的信息；

設(shè)計合理的結(jié)構(gòu)，使其可用于不同類型的論文；

在A2學(xué)習(xí)階段，學(xué)習(xí)主題和史料編撰式寫作方法

提升Andy的寫作水平最有效的方法是一對一的個性指導(dǎo)。

這種方法很費時，但對于拓展和挑戰(zhàn)學(xué)生的水平非常有必要。

分析了以往考生的范例和評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)后，我對考試要求有了清晰的了解，然后開始了對Andy的一對一指導(dǎo)。

根據(jù)AS和A2階段以及大學(xué)階段的寫作要求的理解，我采取了一些方法來提升他的寫作。

每次輔導(dǎo)后我都更加明確他有待提高的方面，于是每次作業(yè)我都會側(cè)重培養(yǎng)這個方面的能力。

我會先判他的作業(yè)，然后安排時間和他一起講評，分析他做哪些改進來提分，著重講解有待提高的方面，下次要交上不同的作業(yè)。

思維技能

除了費時，一對一指導(dǎo)的另一個缺點，是學(xué)生會變得依賴，可能得完全靠我告訴他如何答題。

Andy取得好成績是因為他已經(jīng)培養(yǎng)了對學(xué)術(shù)研究進行批判思考的技能。

這種技能的培養(yǎng)，主要通過學(xué)寫學(xué)術(shù)論文的方法實現(xiàn)。

課程進行到哪，相關(guān)的真題論文就布置給他。

此時，學(xué)生需要在黑板上寫出論文的大綱，我就在旁邊指導(dǎo)。

根據(jù)我個人的了解和評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，已經(jīng)形成了固定的論文撰寫結(jié)構(gòu)。

我給予了他一些空間，有助于他找到屬于自己的問題解決方法，同時我也給予了最小限度地幫助來讓他做出正確的思考。

我只需要給他一些適當(dāng)?shù)囊庖姡蜁θニ伎迹钊氲亍⑴行缘亍⒑陀兄黝}性的制定一個他自己的計劃。

慢慢地，他需要的幫助會越來越少，因為他已經(jīng)具備了這樣的能力，即沒有給定的大綱，也可以獨立構(gòu)思出越來越多的內(nèi)容。

來自科學(xué)外教Mr.Hartley老師：

我給Andy上了兩年A Level生物課。

第一年，他學(xué)了AS內(nèi)容，使用劍橋國際考試中心（CIE）提供的教材和素材，一周四次課，每次一小時。

實驗課幫助他掌握了專業(yè)科學(xué)工作者使用的操作技巧。

隨著學(xué)校繼續(xù)引進實驗室設(shè)施，會有更多的實操課。

Andy也做了一些具體的考試練習(xí)。

第一年結(jié)束時，Andy要做一個實地勘察項目，包括數(shù)據(jù)統(tǒng)計和分析。

第二年，Andy學(xué)習(xí)了A2內(nèi)容，為最終的A Level考試準(zhǔn)備。

課外我也給予了Andy一些輔導(dǎo)，他一直都非常熱情地與我討論生物。

From headmaster Mr.Nash,

It has been a privilege to guide Shi Lou De through 5 years of the Xinxuedao Education system and observe how we have been able to transform him from being an enthusiastic but naive boy into an intelligent and articulate young man ready for admission to an international university. It has been an extraordinary educational journey.

Of course Shi Luo De supplied the raw materials of that journey but our team of teachers and the Xinxuedao educational philosophy have made the journey possible. Let us take the example of learning English. Of course a high standard of written and spoken English is the foundation of international study in an English speaking country.

Over five years with Xinxuedao Shi Luo De has progressed to near native speaker standard with an IELTS 7.0. His contribution to the learning partnership is a quality of fearlessness in learning a new language.

Anxiety is probably the single biggest barrier to learning and performing highly in a foreign language. Shi Luo De has leapt over this barrier with confidence and elegance. However he has been able to do this because of the Xinxuedao pedagogy of providing access to qualified and experienced foreign teachers, specifically from the UK.

The Xinxuedao approach is not just to provide English lessons with such teachers, isolated amongst an otherwise entirely Chinese curriculum. This would be far too limiting for a mind like Shi Luo De’s. No, the Xinxuedao method is to provide in a miniature a model of our modern global world where English and Chinese jointly and in co-operation are shaping new cultures and new understandings.

The everyday reality of this is that Shi Luo De has had countless opportunities over the last five years to develop his articulacy in both Chinese and English in Socratic dialogue with the best teachers Xinxuedao can source in an integrated learning environment.

The second aspect of this education journey I would like to focus on is creativity and expression. Again Shi Luo De has supplied the raw ingredients of an open mind that is looking for ways to express his excitement about ideas. But Xinxuedao recognises that without discipline and self-discipline creativity is an unpredictable energy.

Shi Luo De, like all of our students, has been through the training of Shufa (Caligraphy) and Wushu (Martial arts). These are profoundly creative arts, but through experiencing not just the practice but the meaning of these arts, our students learn to control and focus their creative energies. As it is with forming a character in calligraphy, so it is with writing an A Level History essay.

The successful student must be able to focus, to clarify what is necessary, to eliminate what is extraneous and to express a response with confidence and elegance. With the guidance of his foreign teacher mentors, Shi Luo De has progressed from being able to organise ideas in written English, to being able to express sophisticated ideas with subtlety and nuance, the finest strokes of the calligrapher’s pen that are the marks of mastery.

In his creative growth Shi Luo De has also benefitted from the engagement with Literature which Xinxuedao has provided for him. His mind has been opened by teachers who can parallel Charles Dickens and Lu Xun. In 2016 he worked with an English graduate, Mr Morton, from East Anglia University in the UK which is famous for its study of Literature and Creative Arts.

Together they directed a performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’, the famous story by Charles Dickens where Shi Luo De was able to combine improving his self- expression by taking on a leading role in the play, with learning the skills of a theatre producer and director, how to convey the story’s inner heart to an audience.

This was taken to an international level when Mr Morton supported Shi Luo De to participate in an international Shakespeare symposium, organised by a Shakespearean society in the UK. It was a proud moment for Xinxuedao when Shi Luo De was able to perform lines from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ fearlessly in English and Chinese to a Skype audience in the UK, followed by a discussion in English about interpretations of the play in Chinese and English cultures.

And finally I would like to turn to that international element in Shi Luo De’s education. To the partnership the young Shi Luo De brought an open mind that wanted to learn about both his immediate world in China and the global wider world.

He was the star student in lesson after lesson on our International Culture course, giving thoughtful, well informed presentations on everything from Native American culture to the achievements of leading American presidents. This course was the perfect preparation for progression to our High School A Level courses in Global Perspectives and World History.

At the heart of both of these advanced courses is the educational philosophy that the learning of facts is not enough, but that truth and understanding emerge from a dialectical process of interpretation and debate. In other words Xinxuedao has transformed that open mind into an enquiringly mind, able to ask intelligent questions about the world and equipped with a powerful methodology for finding answers. It will not surprise you then to hear that Shi Luo De has very ably led the school debating team in international competitions.

This rich and varied Xinxuedao education was the platform for his application to study International Relations at the best universities in Canada. At the heart of his application was his Personal Statement, and I would like to conclude by reflecting on an aspect of that statement. All of our students take part in service to the people through our Community and Leadership scheme at the school.

Shi Luo De was part of a team who went to support the education of a rural school in Shanxi. He devoted his time there both to helping the students and trying to understand the role and problems of education in this part of China.

In the Personal Statement he displayed great knowledge and understanding of the complex local, national and international issues around this topic, but more importantly an extraordinary humility and self-criticism in describing his own intellectual failures and his simple devotion to using his university study to improve and correct himself. In this I believe Shi Luo De is an ambassador for the heart and soul of Xinxuedao education.

In his university years to come we will continue to work together to bring the youthful talents which he brought to our school to their full potential.

From Mr.Cunliffe,

My name is Mr Cunliffe and I teach Andy A-level History and Global Perspectives. History in particular requires students to have a lot of knowledge about the past. However, it is the skills that I have given Andy that have allowed him to excel in these subjects.

Writing skills

Both subjects require students to be able to argue in an academic way. Andy’s English was already fairly strong and it was an essential foundation for A level success. During my time teaching Andy, I have worked to develop the following aspects of his writing:

Writing to argue;

Explaining complex information in a clear manner;

Structuring his writing to fit many different types of essays;

At A2 level, writing in thematic and historiographical styles.

The most effective way that I have developed Andy’s writing is through personalised feedback on a 1-1 basis. This can be very time consuming but also necessary for stretching and challenging students. I begin the process by having a very clear idea of the exam requirements through analysing example candidate responses and mark schemes.

I use my knowledge of how students need to write at AS, A2 and at University level to decide which steps need to be taken to advance his writing to the next level. Then, I look for the main area for improvement each time – focussing on one aspect at a time every time I set essay homework.

I mark the work and then I make the time to read through Andy’s work with him, offering personal guidance on how to improve his writing generally to gain marks, but focussing on that one aspect that I want him to do differently next time. This process is repeated several times each term.

Thinking skills

As well as being very time consuming the other problem with this method is that students can become reliant on me to tell them how to answer any questions. Andy has achieved success because he has also developed his thinking skills that allow him to think critically about academic study. The main method of developing these skills is through planning academic essays.

An area of the course is taught and a past exam essay set on this topic. Then, my students need to plan their answers on the board, under my supervision. I already have my set structure of how I would answer the essay, taken from my own knowledge and the mark scheme. I allow Andy some freedom to answer things in his own way— but I only give him the smallest amount of help that he needs to get it right.

He is allowed to struggle and is made to think deeply, critically and thematically with only just enough guidance to make him create the plan. Over time, less and less help is needed because Andy has developed the skills because he was not given the plan, he had to create more and more of it himself every time.

From Mr.Hartley，

Andy was taught A-level biology over two years. He studied the AS content during the first year where he was taught using the CIE coursebook and CIE teaching support materials which were delivered in four 1-hour classes per week. Wherever possible, practical laboratory classes helped Andy develop techniques used by professional scientists.

As the school continues to build the laboratory facilities practical classes will become more frequent. Andy was also given specific exam preparation. The end of the first year finished with a large field-work project with data handling and statistical analysis. During the second year, Andy was taught the A2 content to prepare him for his final A-level exams. Throughout his two years Andy was offered tutor time outside of classes, and in fact, Andy was always very enthusiastic about discussing his biology studies.