Summer is fast approaching, and parents are once again tasked with putting together a schedule of fun and educational activities for their children: Should children be playing all day, every day? To travel or not to travel? Should children be given homework?
In an effort to give parents the opportunity to get first-hand, practical information about domestic and international summer programmes and navigate the plethora of summer camps available, Pao School organised an information session on March 26, featuring international education expert Ms Mai Ma, educational cultural centre Li-Yun-Tang Founder Ms Zhou Haohao, WeMedia Founder Ms Wu Jiang and Pao School Director of University and Career Counselling Ms Rhonda Leshman as panellists.
The epitome of learning: Play
‘Why should we spend so much money just to have fun?’ That’s the question many parents had for Ms Mai, who responded that summer is essentially the blueprint for a child's education and thus requires systematic and long-term planning: ‘Play is important, but it must be done in an intelligent way.’ Echoing this sentiment, Ms Wu added: ‘The quality of a summer camp depends not whether our children have a good time, but rather, the actual aspects of the camp they are enjoying, and whether the camp’s activities are conducive to the growth of our children.’ To this end, the ‘learn through play’ philosophy of Pao School’s summer camps organically combines interest-driven learning, allowing students to acquire knowledge through fun-filled activities.
Choosing the best summer programme
A common myth is that expensive must mean quality. At Pao School, we believe in what feels right for the child. With this in mind, every parent would then ask: ‘How do we select the best summer camp for my child?’ Ms Wu, drawing upon her own experiences, gave recommendations based on her personal selection criteria:
1. Word of mouth: A school's efficiency and professionalism are determining factors for quality.
2. Camp facilities: Camp grounds should be safe, secure and have adequate risk management and control.
3. Emergency handling: Homesickness, injuries, etc.
Ms Zhou also pointed out that a good summer programme should give its campers the chance to concentrate on their area of interest: 'Giving children the chance to do something they enjoy promotes healthy competition, helps campers meet others with common interests and most of all, makes learning a fun and engaging experience.'
Attendees lauded the expertise and resourcefulness of the panellists. As one of the first to establish school summer camps, Pao School, now offering its much-celebrated programmes for a ninth consecutive year, earned the praise of many parents. In the future, Pao School will continue to deliver a diverse selection of summer programmes that offer a well-rounded education, one in which children play and learn together, build independence, creativity, character as well as collaborative skills.
Thanks to the school’s many years of experience in designing and running its summer programmes, campers and parents alike are sure to enjoy a memory-filled summer season at Pao School. This year, Pao School teachers have some recommendations for parents: ‘When selecting which of our programmes to attend, parents should discuss and go through the selection process together with their children. This mutual communication between parents and children is especially important. Junior Counsellors who are the same age as our campers, will be assigned to accompany and mentor our campers. In addition, all teachers will be responsible for coordinating communication between parents and their children.’
The informative session was found to be beneficial for attending parents, many of whom agreed on the educational philosophy and approaches their ideal summer programme should take. The session also helped many parents gain a better understanding of which summer programmes they would choose for their children.
Click here to learn more about Pao School's summer camps!
