Winter Season Study Tour | Stanford University Winter Season Authentic Class
From January 30th to February 10th 2017, students from BRS participated in the winter authentic classroom project of Stanford University. Overall, our students harvest a lot from this trip, which lasts more than a dozen days arrangements and all the arrangements are reasonable and rich in content.
The first night when they arrived in the United States, our students stayed in a chain hotel at Los Angeles. Although the journey was a little tired, everyone was relaxed and excited. After the break, the tour of major cities, Los Angeles, Santiago and San Francisco, began.
The morning of January 31st, we came to the Hollywood, visiting the avenue of stars and Chinese theatre. The students were excited to take photos with handprints or footprints of famous actors. In the afternoon, we came to the Cover Art Museum and had a wonderful time there.
On February 1st, we arrived at Santiago port, one of the three major U.S. naval bases. We walked through fisherman’s Wharf store and visited Latin art culture. In the afternoon, we went to the world famous marine park and saw those lovely king penguins, vicious sharks, clever dolphins, and so on.
On February 2nd, we spent a day in Universal Studios. There are hundreds of famous movie props here, dozens of large studios. Film experts from the studios introduced the special effects in the film. Students not only had fun, but also got a better understanding of the world behind screens.
On February 3rd, we traveled from Los Angeles to San Francisco. During the way, the weather changes from light rain to sunny day, which enabled us to experience various beauty of America under different weather.
On February 4th, we had a one-day tour in San Francisco and visited Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the famous Lombard Street.
On the way to each of the spots, the local teachers would help students learn some knowledge, such as the origin of the name “San Francisco” , the meaning behind Los Angeles’s rainbow flag, and California’s geographical characteristics and so on. Through the combination of Q & A, games and personal experiences, our students had a more direct and in-depth understanding of all aspects of the United States.
After the 5-day tour, our students came to the world-renowned University of Stanford and began their study, which is the core of the project. As one of the world famous universities, Stanford University has its own special charm. When they first entered the university, our children are filled with excitement and expectations.
Professors from Stanford University were responsible for giving lectures to students and the curriculum content was rich and diverse, including university application skills, innovative thinking, design thinking, speech and debate, and real simulation practices. The classroom atmosphere was active, and the teacher would encourage students to speak and ask questions. James, a professor of design thinking, is especially popular with students. Professor James was able to effectively mobilize the enthusiasm of all through games and hands-on tasks to help students participate fully in class. Students’ performance was remarkable and was greatly praised by James. They demonstrated BRS students’ innovative ability and team spirits. In a few days’ time, the students had brief knowledge on the teaching methods and environments of American universities. It is also worth mentioning that the students studied in the campus of Stanford University so that they also experienced the daily lives of Stanford University students.
Overall, the students have deepened their understanding of universities and the United States through the program. Most importantly, the students broadened their visions. By the end of the project, our students decided to improve their language skills and teamwork abilities, and some even set the goal of entering Stanford University. Undoubtedly, the inspirations and dreams they formulated in America would play a positive role in our students’ future learning.
