Enoch Lim and Catherine Lim are an American couple with a cross cultural background, living multicultural lives. Their professions entail extensive travel, particularly within East Asia. They have lived in Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, Tokyo, Beijing and now Shanghai. Catherine expresses that cultural sensitivity is of importance to her and Enoch. When it came to finding a school for their son, Elijah, they wanted to be sure it would promote the values of global citizenship, character, and bilingual education. Guided by the recommendation of close friends, they settled on Pao School.
“Our hope is for Elijah to assimilate at home in China, as well as abroad where we are from,” says Catherine. “As our family fits between two cultures, the natural choice for us was to pursue a bilingual education for Elijah. Additionally, both Elijah’s father and I are of Chinese ethnicity but grew up as third culture kids without Chinese language fluency. Since Chinese is so difficult to master we hope Elijah can achieve what we are still trying to do.”
Because the Lims speak English at home, Elijah has always felt most at home in the language, and his reading preference has also been in English. The bilingual environment of Pao School has, therefore, been challenging for him. In Chinese class he still tends to think in English, and he finds Chinese essay writing a continuing test. Yet, interestingly, he now thinks more naturally in Chinese during maths classes. His brain is becoming bilingual.
Catherine emphasizes that when it comes to his bilingual challenges, the most effective approach, akin to sports, is consistent practice. Therefore, he has been dedicating more time at home to make Chinese writing second nature. This effort has notably enhanced his writing skills.
According to Maureen Xu, Eli's homeroom teacher and Chinese teacher, Pao School integrates non-native Chinese speakers with native speakers in Chinese classes, allowing them to learn alongside their peers. Elijah, being diligent, has shown that he can easily keep up with the coursework and enjoys learning with his peers. Ms. Xu notes, that he joyfully encourages and actively engages with his classmates. During lessons, Ms. Xu allows Elijah to take the lead in reading exercises to assess his pronunciation and comprehension. Furthermore, she regularly prompts him to share his thoughts on the lesson material, helping him practice language expression and develop critical thinking skills. To support students with varying levels of Chinese proficiency, the teachers provide customized worksheets to ensure that all students can grasp the content and meet the learning objectives.
Elijah and his classmates organised a charity sale at the spring fair.
Elijah’s Chinese teachers have been encouraging him to read as much Chinese as he can. The Lims wondered how they could best support this recommendation. Noting that her son is a keen English reader, who enjoys spending time in the library, Catherine asked him whether there were any Chinese books that sparked his interest. He suggested that a Chinese graphic novel might be fun to read. Even though she had been a little hesitant about such books, Catherine supported the idea, and bought him the entire set of a series he liked. She thinks it is important to be flexible, and that graphic novels could provide a platform from which to advance into more conventionally serious literature “Sometimes challenges are not overcome immediately but take time to process,” she says. “Elijah is still only in third grade so we understand that these Chinese reading and writing seeds take time to nurture and grow.
Elijah’s flourishing language skills enable him to socialize confidently across cultures. This is demonstrated when he attends US summer school during the Pao School holidays, transitioning smoothly between language environments. In this way, among others, his time at Pao School has already helped to equip him for global citizenship.
For Elijah and his parents, Pao School represents more than just a place for language learning. The Lims are particularly drawn to the school’s holistic approach to education, which harmoniously integrates academics, sports, and character development. This balanced approach has left a strong impression on them, playing a pivotal role in helping Elijah overcome his introversion. His increased happiness and enthusiasm for attending school each morning have surpassed his parents’ expectations. Notably, Elijah's confidence has improved since enrolling at the school. He now readily engages with teachers and other adults, spends a lot of time outdoors with his friends, and has strengthened his ability to effectively manage his academic and social commitments.
Catherine particularly notes that the Pao School’s use of the online system to promote character education, encouraging students to treat their classmates, teachers, and other staff in a respectful manner, has motivated Elijah to be more thoughtful in his actions. To her delight, he often comes home excitedly announcing the milestones he has reached.
While Elijah has always enjoyed English class, and has become far more comfortable in Chinese, the new ICT and Art classes he is taking at the school are his favourite lessons. This more expressive and outgoing side to Elijah has not come at the expense of his previous interests. He still treasures his library time.
Elijah's choir performance at the summer concert.
To summarize the changes in Elijah since he started at Pao School, Catherine shares a simple yet illuminating story. As they were setting off for school, Elijah hurried his mother to get ready. In the rush, she forgot a few things, and at the door, he stopped to remind her that she had left her tennis racket behind. He dashed back into the house to fetch it for her. What may seem trivial to other families was a pivotal moment for her. She realized that her son’s value for punctuality was because he was excited to be at school. He also reminded her that she forgot something, rather than the other way around. She attributes much of his growth and sense of responsibility to Pao School’s layered approach to building character over the years. She truly appreciated his initiative and consideration.
