The first term of the inaugural year at Hiba Academy Shanghai is has been progressing very quickly. It has been a time full of blossoming new friendships, exciting new challenges and, of course, plenty of laughter and learning. To mark the progress that has been made in these opening few months, we asked two of our Hiba parents, Albert and Phillip (both of whom have sons named George, coincidentally!), to share with us their thoughts on the Hiba Nursery experience so far.
Philip (first from the left), Interviewer Tom (Middle), Albert (first from the right) What were your first impressions of Hiba Academy Shanghai? Phillip: The quality of the facilities and the kindness of the teaching staff were apparent from the first visit. My son George was very relaxed on his first day and didn’t cry, which I took to be a very good sign!
Albert: My overall impression of HNS is that it has a lot of vitality, everything is brand new and the staff are clearly excited to be here. I was also excited when we first came here and a little nervous too, because my George transferred from another nursery, so we were a little worried about whether or not he would acclimatise. Fortunately, he got used to his new teachers and friends much more quickly than we expected. Can you describe your sons’ reactions to their first day at HNS? Albert: My son very much enjoyed his first day, he wasn’t unhappy or nervous at all and when he got home he told his grandmother all about it in very positive terms. This was a big relief for us, because when George was at his previous school he told us practically every morning that he didn’t want to go. I think that the main reason for this positive reaction is that Hiba treats its pupils as individuals and respects them as such.
Phillip: Similarly, I was a little anxious about how easily my son would settle in. However, he responded very well to the welcome he got from his teacher and classmates and got straight into playing with the toys. When we came to pick him up he asked us: “Can I come here tomorrow?”, which is perhaps the best outcome that you can hope for as a parent on your child’s first day at school. How are they enjoying their daily lessons? Phillip: I feel that the nursery’s approach of letting the children learn through play is highly effective. I think at this age they have a right to simply be kids and enjoy themselves as they learn, rather than being force-fed an unhealthy amount of facts to be memorised.
Albert: I’ve noticed that the teachers give each of the pupils in their classes plenty of individual attention. They really care about all of the children and seem to find the best way to help them individually. For example, my son has good English skills and understands what is happening in the class, but he can be a little shy. His teacher is very good at recognising this and encouraging him to speak up without putting undue pressure on him. How are your children responding to the challenge of learning in both Chinese and English? Albert: George is enjoying switching between both languages and extending his vocabulary. At this age, children are like sponges, they soak up all of the sounds and words and store them very effectively.
Phillip: Exactly, the earlier they start learning different languages, the better. My son is sometimes a little hesitant to say some of the English words and phrases that he knows, but he absolutely understands when he listens to my wife and I speaking English to each other. He has even started telling some jokes in English, which I think shows how much his confidence is improving. Overall, I think the Hiba teachers are very good at helping the children to practice and extend their English abilities without pushing them too far. Are you satisfied with the resources that your children have access to here? Phillip: Absolutely, the facilities are reassuringly excellent. We carefully researched the resources and facilities that would be on offer here at Hiba, and I feel that what was promised has certainly been delivered.
Building a community is a very important part of the Hiba educational experience. Do you think that there is a sense of community at HNS yet? Albert: There is already a sense of us all becoming one big family, since the staff under Vanessa have helped set up the Friends of Hiba group. It has been great to see that so many of the parents are willing to give up their time to share their ideas and improve things at the school. Hiba Nursery may be a very new school but already we’ve made many strong friendships and are enjoying seeing our children learn together. Phillip: Even in the short space of time since the nursery opened I think we have all managed to come together and create a solid sense of community. There is plenty of communication between the staff and the parents, and I certainly feel that many parents are very comfortable sharing their experiences, even their occasional frustrations or concerns. From the opening week, this sense of transparency and emphasis on shared experience was apparent. As the school develops, I am sure that this feeling of community will also strengthen. Albert: One big difference between Hiba and other schools is that they encourage parents to pick up their children, whereas in a lot of other schools they are picked up and dropped off by their grandparents. I think that this is important because we, the parents, get to see first-hand how things are going and we can have a quick discussion with the teachers. This helps us to relate more easily to the challenges and progress that our children are experiencing. It certainly makes me feel more connected to my son’s education.
