Happy New Year to everyone in the YCIS community. We wish you all a great start to 2019! We are looking forward to seeing all of our students back in school on Wednesday January 9 for the first day of Semester Two. Before the commencement of Semester Two, all YCIS staff participated in a two-day in-service training and retreat.

Yew Chung Educators are dedicated to adhere to and implement the Yew Chung Mission, Principles and Practices in all that they do.

The retreat started with YCIS & YWIES CEO and School Supervisor Dr Betty Chan’s speech, outlining that “the core of quality education is really character formation, and such critical character building must begin in the earliest years of life”. She also stated her very high expectations of her teachers and commented that all educators should aspire to be exemplary role models for the children and their families. She defined international education as "the inner transformation of students – whereby they master the two world languages (English and Chinese) and gain a deep intercultural awareness and appreciation, becoming globally competent citizens.” Finally, she emphasised that Yew Chung’s unique model of having co-teachers and co-principals honoured and celebrated the two cultures and languages and has gained international attention.

A wide variety of important topics were highlighted over the two-day in-service training and retreat; all staff participated in various learning communities, discussing issues such as internationalism and global citizenship. The staff shared their ideas in various dramatic performances, videos and presentations.

YCIS plays a crucial role in helping young people develop global competence, in providing opportunities to learn about global developments and in teaching students how they can develop a fact-based and critical worldview of today, a worldview which will provide them with the means to analyse a broad range of cultural practices and meanings, engage in experiences that facilitate intercultural relations and promote the value of diversity.

The in-service staff training and retreat affirmed once again that Yew Chung schools are taking the lead in new millennium teaching methodologies and are pioneers of a new model of international education. Let’s celebrate our journey as Yew Chung Educators!