On March 16th, the VPA Principal Forum was successfully held at Victoria Park Academy (VPA) in Shenzhen as scheduled, where Dr. Koong, Head of Academy and Mr. David Krupski, the newly appointed foreign Principal of VPA, delivered speeches respectively.

Dr. Koong introduced the advantages and characteristics of the IB education program, delving into discussions on the role of parents in IB education, while also analyzing the impact of "academic rat race" phenomenon on children's academic performance and psychological well-being.

On the other hand, Principal David Krupski's speech focused on thenew technologies and changes brought by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of education. He shared his perspective on the relationship between AI and educators, emphasizing AI as a tool and resources that can bring more possibilities for education.

According to the "China Parenting Education Status Survey Report," 87% of parents experience anxiety, with nearly 20% experiencing moderate anxiety and 7% experiencing severe anxiety. Despite the reduction in academic burden due to educational reforms, parental anxiety has increased by 12.8%. Anxious parents continuously pressure their children, leading to detrimental effects on their health as they pursue grades and get caught up in excessive competition. This creates a vicious cycle of harm.

As Dr. Koong mentioned earlier, the important role parents play in IB education does not necessarily imply that IB should also involve parents.

The answer is No! IB program requires parental support and involvement, but this does not equate to "dragging" parents into it. In IB program, the atmosphere is markedly different from the academic competition and rat race. IB program focuses on nurturing students' critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and self-directed learning skills, rather than merely chasing grades or rankings.

In IB program, parents should play an active role in promoting collaboration between home and school, encouraging students to explore learning according to their interests and potential. They should provide positive support and guidance, creating a healthy, balanced learning environment for their children. At the same time, parents should also promptly alleviate their children's stress, foster their holistic development, and maximize their individual potential.

The Victoria Park Academy (VPA), dedicate to providing a dynamic and inspiring learning environment, combing the national curriculum with IB teaching philosophy. It integrates the Chinese educational philosophy of respecting teachers, rigorous scholarship, with the inquiry-based and interdisciplinary learning approaches, emphasizing project-based learning. By leveraging both school and regional characteristics and utilizing various resources both inside and outside the school, VPA fully taps into students' autonomy and initiative. It emphasizes solving real-world problems, breaking down barriers between disciplines and between the school and society, and implementing theme-based interdisciplinary inquiries through the "Bilingual (Chinese and English) Headteacher" approach.

Furthermore, according to circumstances and student needs, VPA offers both restricted and unrestricted expansion in the form of humanities and technology academic courses, health literacy, campus clubs, sports activities, community practices and service courses, traditional Chinese culture and etc. We aim to cultivate students' comprehensive literacy and innovation capabilities, enabling them to make positive contributions academically, skillfully, and socially. We believe that each student possesses unique potential and value, and our mission is to unleash their potentials.

Principal Mr. David Krupski pointed out in the forum the extensive applications of artificial intelligence in daily life and education, such as aiding in reading, listening, and comprehension, serving as personal assistants, analyzing vast amounts of data, and assisting in decision-making. In the realm of education, AI also plays a positive role, such as helping teachers create courses, assessment criteria, designing students' daily games and activities, and even assisting in translation. 

However, as Principal Mr. David Krupski emphasized:

The role of teachers is not only to impart knowledge and skills but more importantly to provide emotional support and guidance to students, helping them develop their personalities, solve problems, and cultivate character. This humanized care and interaction cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence. It embodies the essence and mission of education.

The forum provided new insights and reflections on the future direction of education. In today's society, education no longer simply entails the transmission of knowledge but rather focuses on cultivating students' comprehensive literacy and problem-solving abilities. The philosophy of IB education aligns with this trend, emphasizing students' holistic development and fostering their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. With the continuous development of artificial intelligence technology, teaching methods are also evolving. AI injects new possibilities into teaching by providing more teaching resources and methods.

However, parents still play an irreplaceable role in their children's growth process. They should provide children with a relaxed environment, allowing them space to explore, discover, and grow. At the same time, parents should also follow their children's nature, respect their personalities and interests, and encourage their free development. With parental support and guidance, children can grow up healthily and happily, ultimately realizing their full potential.

On March 30th, we will be hosting the GBA Debate Tournament at VPA. Renowned debaters like Xirui will be joining us for a campus forum. If you would to cultivate your child's critical thinking, know the world from different perspectives, and experience the collision of viewpoints from debate elites up close, don't miss this event! 

For registration details, please scan the QR code on the poster or inquire with our admissions staff.

At the same time, VPA will also offer School Tours for parents to listen to student ambassadors share their first-hand experiences of studying at VPA, providing an opportunity to get a firsthand understanding of VPA's scholarship programs!

Shenzhen Victoria Park Academy is a K9 bilingual school founded by Victoria (China) Education Group. Victoria Park Academy is an IB Candidate School that integrates two independent yet complementary educational philosophies. It immerses Chinese educational traditions with inquiry-based learning. The Academy offers immersive bilingual education - one teacher, one language. All students will be taught by two class teachers, one specializing in Mandarin Chinese and the other in English. The unique curriculum system and the established campus culture aims to combine the educational strengths and urban characteristics of Shenzhen and Hong Kong to cultivate future learners who are caring, driven, daring, and persevering. We strive to serve our purpose of empowering the students with Chinese heritage and a global vision.