Graduation season is later than usual this year, our graduates have finished their courses at the end of June and it’s time to say goodbye to CIS.  We want to congratulate them again for successfully receiving their Alberta diplomas! (Click here to view acceptances of our Class 0f 2020!) And they have left some really lovely messages to CIS.

Yesser Alkazaz

Acceptances: Emily Carr University of Art and Design, University of Melbourne, University of Alberta, Ontario College of Art and Design

The last two years at the Canadian International School of Guangzhou have been very memorable and fulfilling for me. I have made unbreakable bonds with friends, participated in school activities, and learned how to grow into a functioning adult. I would not be where I am today without the teachers who not only taught us, but also loved us, and raised us into the future generation. I will never forget the bond I developed with everyone at school, and all the countless times I cried laughing with my classmates. The end of June is the end of high-school, but it is the start of a new future for all of us.

Jackal Xu

Acceptance: McGill University

Learning at CIS was a pleasure. I still remember the first time I walked into the school and saw an atmosphere full of vitality and positivity. Unlike other schools, I think CIS puts less unnecessary pressure on us, which enables us to focus more on our academics. My first year was the hardest year. There was both a language barrier and a cultural barrier to breach coming from a different education system, but things got better really quickly. As the time passed by, I learned a lot about how to study efficiently and acquired new knowledge. More importantly, my English improved significantly in these three years, and I feel more comfortable when I communicate with people who come from other countries.

I’m glad that I met my classmate in CIS, and living in the dormitory was a valuable experience I will never forget. I believe that what I learned in CIS will be an important part of the puzzle that will build my life in university and beyond. Thanks to all the teacher who had taught me during the past three years, and the time we spent together is unforgettable.

Colleen Hu

My experience in CIS is unforgettable. Time flies so fast that I clearly remember the first time that I entered the school. Although there are only ten people in our class, the liveliness and harmonious atmosphere makes me feel that there are no barriers between us. I became open-minded and more self-confident due to the cultivation of all the teachers. Thank you so much. 

I’ve studied in CIS since I was an angsty teenager, crying for the attention. Luckily, CIS provided me with the best “food”, not only the physical food such as fascinating pasta and pizza and so forth, which made me add 10 centimeters to my height, but also the enlightenment “food” from our lovely teachers’ that enriched my knowledge. Sincerely, CIS is my second family and I’ve spent a wonderful time here.  

Jina Kim

Acceptances: University of Toronto, Western University, Queen’s University, University of Ottawa

Many things happened while attending CIS. Both good parts and difficult parts have made me a stronger person now. I appreciate all the teachers who helped me as much as they possibly could. I was able to look at the world from a different lens. This gave me time to think about how to build a better future. 

Moreover, Student Council and the Model UN had a great influence on what I wish to learn in college and helped me think about what I should value the most. Through those extra-curricular activities I was able to develop my leadership skills as well. As a future global leader, I look forward to being a wonderful person who exerts good influence and strives to do my personal best. I am ready to do so.

Demos Yang

Acceptances: Simon Fraser University, Langara College Kwantlen Polytechnic University, British Columbia Institute of Technology

My time at the Canadian International School has been really important to me. I learned a lot of things here, not only the knowledge I need for my university, but I also had a variety of meaningful life experiences. Teachers in our school are more like friends to us, they care about our success and our lives. Every time when we feel stressed, teachers will encourage us or help us get through difficult times. They are always looking for meaningful ways to shape us into responsible adults. During class time, we learned how to build projects and were pushed to develop our own strategies to overcome challenges. It honestly felt like I was part of a family during my time here. We chat, play and help each other every day.  I’m glad to be in this school with our teachers and classmates, everything is just wonderful here. Soon, we will all go our separate ways. It seems like an end, but it is also a starting point. I will always keep CIS in my mind!

We are so proud of what you’ve achieved at CIS and wish you all the best in your journeys to university and beyond! Please also stay tuned for CIS WeChat, we’ll share more messages next week!

A school valedictorian is traditionally the student with the highest GPA in the graduating class and delivers the farewell speech at the graduation ceremony.

At the 2020 CIS Graduation, this student was Jina Kim, who graduated with the best academic performance, and a proud Student Council member.  At the Grad Ceremony, she gave a beautiful and encouraging speech to everyone.

Good afternoon teachers, families and fellow graduates. I am Jina Kim, valedictorian of class of 2020. Before we begin, I appreciate Mr. Simon Chen who is Vice President of CIEO and, Consul Mr. Mark Vcislo who is responsible for political, Economic and Public Affairs to come to our graduation. I have experienced numerous feelings at this podium, and I am sure many people here sympathize with that. Obviously, I am full of great happiness and fulfillment. My classmates and I have put a lot of effort into the last three years to stand here today and say that we have earned the right to graduate. It was by no means an easy task, and there were many times when we felt like we wouldn’t be able to reach the finish line. Well, we did it. We all achieved one of the important early milestones of our lives: this is a step on our journey of life. A high school diploma is a wonderful tool in the world, and it opens many doors for anyone who has it. But gradation is not a final goal in itself; instead, it is part of a greater journey in life. Life is a journey, and all lessons we owe to that journey should be taken as a starting point for future aspirations. We stand here today on the brink of the future. It is no longer a distant reality. It starts here. It starts today. We have completed basic training that will serve as the platform we use to move forward.

We will go to university soon. Wherever we go, whatever we do, there’s a challenge ahead of us. What I ask of each of you, and of myself, is to raise your head high, open your chest wide and face the challenges the right way. Although it may not be easy to see, every accomplishment you achieve adds to the achievements of the world. Individual success helps society as a whole because it relieves the burden of our fellow man. Imagine that all individuals have lived up to their potential. Think about how amazing it would be, and how much better the world will be. Now imagine that only half of those people have lived up to their potential. The world will still be a wonderful place. If even a quarter of them tried to make their lives a success, they could still make remarkable contributions to society. Well, we may not have the power to inspire the whole world to strive for success, but we have the power to try to achieve it for ourselves. To challenge each of you, and to myself, is to do everything you can to reach your potential. If each of these seniors can do so, imagine the effect. The future is really in our hands, so let’s make the most of it.

We tried hard to get to this point, but we didn’t do it ourselves. We should give thanks to the following people: I would like to thank the teachers who set us on the path to success. Without your help, some of us may not be able to graduate today. You took the time to explain the work over and over again because we didn’t pay attention. You have allowed us to come to your classroom and get extra help. You tried to make the class more fun such as to shock students in the middle of class, so that we wouldn’t just tune out. Thank you to our parents, for supporting us in countless ways. You helped us with our dreams, paid our tuition, and listened to our complaints and worries. You came to our plays and attended our school events. You tried to provide enough space for us to empathize with our daily drama and learn how to solve it on our own. These are just a few of the thousands of ways you have been with us on our journey. For our principal and vice-principal and all the CIS staff, thank you for making things go smoothly so that our teachers can concentrate on us.. As you can see, one graduate had at least a dozen advisors. The best way for our graduates to express their gratitude is to move on with the goal of making the most of the given opportunities and leaving the world a better place than we found it.

Lastly, I remember many projects I did in English class. Especially, the shock was unforgettable when we learned about the Holocaust. Not only me, but all the students must have felt something throughout the Memorial Project. We experienced the realities of the world and the pain of history, and through it we matured. Progress is rarely easy, but don’t doubt the path you’ve walked on, and just keep going. We are the ones who stand there in the end, whether the path was thorny or lush with flowers. What is most important is that we take center stage and become strong people. Let’s make each decision with the best interests in mind. Let’s believe in ourselves so that we can achieve our goals and dreams. Let’s be the best we can be so that we can live fulfilling lives and care for those closest to us with happiness and pride. We have already taken our first step by attending this ceremony today. Thank you.

To our 2020 graduates: there was a very important person who has been with you in almost every moment of your 3 years of high school life at CIS. It was an emotional and proud moment for Principal Tanya Thiessen. Except from hosting the graduation ceremony, she also shared her few pieces of insight and appreciation to our graduates.

Dearest graduates.  Please enjoy today.  Take all the pictures, with your family, your friends and your teachers.  You will only be a graduate of CIS one time in your whole life so enjoy this day because it almost did not happen.  Students around the world have not been given a chancenn to celebrate their graduation with their family and friends and you can.

I want you to know how resilient you are and the fact that you graduated and were successful during a very difficult period of time is awesome.  You went from finishing your first semester and writing diploma exams to not returning back to campus until April.  You have been flexible, capable and committed to your work as grade 12 students.  I hope you keep these skills as you travel through life.  Showing strength when life is hard and being open to change when life gets turned upside down are two very essential qualities to a successful existence. 

I am very proud of our 2020 graduates.  This class contains great intellectual minds, skilled artists, talented athletes and great comedians.  This group of students always has us laughing and your teachers are very grateful for the joy you bring them every day.

There are great things in your future.  Be an active participant in your life.  Nothing is promised.  How much time you have and how the world can change in an instant.  As you enter the next phase of your life study hard, work hard but also keep your hobbies.  Keep playing basketball, be involved in leadership opportunities, volunteer, paint, draw, travel and try something new.  Create a life for yourself that you can be proud of.  Make lots of mistakes and then learn from them.  Thank you to you parents for choosing CIS.  It has truly been my pleasure to be part of their academic journey.  I have treasured the time I had as your principal.  Stay in touch because we truly want to know how you are doing after high school.  I will never forget you and I will forever be proud of you and your accomplishments. 

At the high school graduation ceremony last week, the Canadian Consul Mr. Mark Vcislo who is responsible for Political, Economic and Public Affairs shared his wise words with the graduates, parents and guests. Here we share the original speech with you. 

Bonjour – Mr. Simon Chen, Principal Tanya Thiessen, honoured guests, parents, faculty, and most importantly this year’s graduates – good afternoon.  

Let me, first and foremost, congratulate all the students graduating this year from the Canadian International School of Guangzhou.

It is hard work to get to graduation, especially during these challenging times, and you have succeeded! Well done! Congratulations also to the assembled teachers and family members, all of whom have played such an important role in guiding and inspiring the students to reach this happy occasion today!

While today is a day for celebration, I would also like to acknowledge the difficulties and challenges that many of you have faced, and are probably still facing because of COVID-19. I know that the global pandemic has been disruptive to your plans and that it may be some time before normalcy returns. In these turbulent times, it is more important than ever to be adaptable, patient, kind to one another, and not to be discouraged.

For our graduating class, here you are, standing ready to face the excitement and challenges of a new milestone in your life. For many of you, this means pursuing higher education, to acquire further knowledge and skills for your chosen profession. 

Your time at CISGZ has helped you to acquire the capacity to understand, at minimum, two different cultures, and to act as a bridge between them. This skill is even more important in today’s world, given the serious problems we face as a global community.

I hope all of you will be a part of building bridges and promoting mutual understanding between countries and cultures.   Please always think about how you can be positive agents of change in the world, whatever your future profession.

I was pleased to learn that many of you have been offered admission into Canadian universities and have chosen to continue your studies in Canada.

I would like to assure all of you that Canada remains a very open and welcoming country and we deeply value the presence of students from China. I understand all of you are eager to travel to your new schools and we are all hoping the situation will improve soon to allow this to happen.

Canada is a very diverse country, made up of people from around the world. We attract more immigrants per capita than any other nation.  We are known for our diversity, but we also seek to promote “inclusion”, the idea that no one is left on the margins.  We all stand equally together, and no person is lesser because they are different.

We believe that having a society comprised of people of different races, genders, religions, cultures, sexual orientations and languages, makes us stronger.

For our graduating class, your experience here at this school has also given you an appreciation of diversity. As you go forward in your lives and studies, and you meet people with sometimes very different backgrounds or experiences from yourself, continue to value difference, and always ask yourself, what can l learn from this person who is not like me?

Let me also say a few words about the importance of gender equality –   for any country or society to truly reach its potential, it has to capitalize upon the abilities of all of its citizens, women and men.  So, to the young women here, make sure you stand up and be counted, don’t be shy, show the world what you can do.  And to the young men, stand beside the young women as they do this, encourage them and learn from them; you have a role to play too in creating real gender equality.  And our societies, where your children will live, will be better because of this.

Finally, my last word of advice is to stay open to new opportunities and experiences.  Find time away from your studies to have fun and get to know well the place you are living in. 、Once the situation allows, take time to explore your new cities, to become part of  your new community, maybe volunteer, and make good friends and memories with the people around you.  These will be the things you will cherish most about your college and university years.

Once again, my very sincere congratulations to each and every one of you, and best wishes for your future success! 

Thank you!

Welcome to our new CIS Spotlight Series, where we share educational stories and insights from our professional teaching faculty. 

Laura Stachniak

Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

– University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education (Minor in English as a Second Language) 

– Focuses on teaching Pre-Kindergarten

The dramatic play area of our classroom is often one of the most crowded spaces during ‘Play Time’. At any given moment, you might find two students eating cake and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to a cat, while another student cuts vegetables and a few students use the doctor’s kit to help take care of a baby. These are just some of the playful sights that we, the classroom teachers, see on a daily basis. Often times, adults will observe this type of play and dismiss it as childish or unimportant, however, imaginative role play is an incredibly rich learning environment for a child to be a part of and helps to contribute to their personal growth and development!

Develop Language Skills

One of the benefits of dramatic play is that it is a great opportunity for building language. The classroom kitchen and cozy cube areas invite students to use their imagination and create scenarios that they play out in an open-ended, unstructured environment. Whether they use English, or their native home language while playing, they are communicating with peers to share ideas and follow along in play together. You may see classroom teachers slide in beside their students to join in the children’s play. This opportunity allows the teacher to use English language to describe and talk about what they see the students doing, and include English vocabulary for the students to be exposed to. “I see you’re cooking vegetables on the stove! Inside the pot I see you have a tomato and an onion. I wonder what you will make with that?”

Baskets with kitchen items filled with different types of food and utensils are labelled with pictures and English vocabulary words, such as fruit or vegetables, so students can learn to identify where items belong. It also provides students with English text so they can see how these items are spelled and form an understanding that printed text has meaning. 

Support Emotional Development

Another benefit of dramatic play is how it supports children’s emotional development. For example, we might see a student taking care of a stuffed animal cat by talking to it, feeding it and petting it. We might also see two or three students dressed up in doctor clothing and using doctor tools to help take care of their peers who are playing in other areas of the classroom. This shows us that the students are observing the world around them and beginning to identify with different roles they see adults doing on a daily basis. Their reenactments of these roles help them to make sense of what they see, for example with caring for pets or when visiting a doctor’s office and also shows the classroom staff where their interests are at that time.

Enhance Social Skills

Lastly, dramatic play benefits children’s social skills. With so many students eager to use the kitchen or engage in dressing up, this area of play can often be crowded. Students who are wanting to use the same baby doll will have to learn to share and take turns. At the beginning of the year, students benefit from having classroom teacher assistance in learning how to share these items fairly. As the school year progresses, students become capable of negotiating a plan between themselves on how they can play with a specific item together, or how they can take turns using it based on an agreement they have reached independently.

With so many foundational skills being utilized at once, it makes dramatic play an exciting and important part of our classroom environment!

Welcome to our new CIS Spotlight Series, where we share educational stories and insights from our professional teaching faculty. 

Rachel Hanhart

Kindergarten Teacher

– Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s University

– Bachelor of Education from St. Mary’s University

What Does A Building Center Look Like

When you enter a kindergarten classroom, you will likely encounter a learning space devoted to building. This space typically includes blocks, LEGOs, magnetic building tiles and other items that can be stacked, pushed together or connected. Spaces like these (often called ‘centers’) can also include loose parts, large pieces of cardboard, and items found from nature such as sticks, tree trunk slices and leaves. This is a Block Center, or what in KB we call our ‘Building Center’. But why is building so important for early childhood education and development?

Building For Problem Solving

A building center helps children develop problem-solving skills and supports their understanding of how objects interact with one another. Children have the opportunity to use foresight and to plan towards a goal of what they hope their creation might look like. They can test out their imagined creation by beginning to stack and connect pieces. As they do this, some pieces might not stack as well as they predicted. For young children, they are still developing their sense of spatial awareness and how objects interact. The best way for them to truly understand these fundamental concepts is to experience them firsthand. Research shows that children learn best by doing, which is why early childhood educators, myself included, work hard to create a classroom environment that allows children those opportunities.

Building To Express Creativity

A building center also helps children express their creativity and preferences. It is amazing what young children will build out of simple LEGO pieces. Some children might enjoy building the exterior of structures such as castles or houses while others enjoy creating modes of transportation meant to shoot into space or race on a road. Giving students more creative freedom to build and to test their predictions, allows them to learn from their own choices and experiences.

Building To Enhance Communication

Lastly, a building center encourages children to communicate effectively with one another. Children choosing to build as a team must discuss their ideas, negotiate and come to a collective decision. Many class projects KB students are challenged with involve some aspect of building. Students extend the skills they have acquired through play to effectively tackle building challenges assigned to them in class.

The Building Center In KB

The building center in our class includes a large carpeted space where children have room to work. There are open concept shelves containing blocks, LEGOs, and marble tracks. The top of the shelf is designated for students finished work to be displayed or for ‘work in progress’ to be saved for future building. On another shelf, there are loose parts and natural items for students to work with along with a designated table for building projects that involve cutting and gluing. We also have a large cardboard collection accessible for student to use as they please.

Provoke Ideas For Building

Based on the weekly inquiry, some form of provocation is placed at the building center to provoke ideas and creative thinking. For example, if we recently talked about different homes that people live in, I might place several pictures of different homes at the building center. What students decide to do with a provocation, is completely up to them!

Beyond The Walls!

A Building Center benefits the development of young minds by providing opportunities for children to plan ahead, problem-solve, communicate, collaborate and express their ideas. Children love to build, especially the ones in KB. And as you can see from the photograph, their opportunities and decisions to build often go beyond the walls of our classroom!

The wider range the possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences.

——Lori malaguzzi