Beyond the Great Wall-- China Study Tour
September 2013
PARTICIPATING SEVR SCHOOLS and
CHANGZHOU PARTNER SCHOOLS
School
Black Rock P S
Principal
Mrs S Myrwoda
Elsternwick P S
Mr M Walker
James Cook P S
Ms K Sharp
Black Rock P S
Mrs J Luiten
Thomas Mitchell P Mr J Hurley
S
Alkira College
Mr I McKenzie
Partner School
Changzhou Juqianjie Primary
School
Changzhou Xinbei Sanjing
Experimental P S
Principal
Mr Gao
Changzhou Experimental P S
Changzhou Foreign
Languages School
Ms Cao Hui
BEYOND THE WALL CHINA STUDY
TOUR SEPTEMBER 2013
JAMES COOK PRIMARY SCHOOL
PREAMBLE
James Cook Primary School has a highly diverse multicultural population of students. We entered
the journey of developing an Asia Literate school in 2011. Preliminary work with our school
council, staff, students and wider community made the decision to introduce Mandarin
language to our children in 2012.
In 2012 the Principal class team attended the DEECD SMR China Study Program organised
through the AEF with 5 other schools.
This allowed:

Initial contact to be made with the Jiangsu Bureau of Education and commitment of
a Memorandum of Understanding
 First visit with a sister school - Changzhou Xinbei Sanjing Experimental Primary
School.
 Identification of intercultural understandings, curriculum connections, shared
teaching practices, and the building of relationships between Asian and Australian
schools
Since this initial tour the Principals from the 6 participating schools have met as a network
to support each other in the implementation of Asia Literacy and reflect on our
understandings and the next level of work to
achieve specific goals for each school.
BEYOND THE WALL STUDY SEVR STUDY TOUR
Our 2013 tour has just been completed. This study
tour was developed through the network meetings
with a lead Principal who had the experience to
guide the 5 other schools. This tour exceeded my
expectations with what we achieved in relation to
the goals James Cook PS developed to achieve for
this trip as follows;
1. To solidify the commitment of the relationships between James Cook Primary school
and Changzhou Xinbei Sanjing Experimental Primary School
2. Initiate a teacher exchange to enhance current curriculum understandings and for
the sharing of instructional practices –In particular English for our sister school in
China and Mandarin language, Asian studies to incorporate history, culture,
economy, global significance and geography for James Cook PS .
3. To obtain a commitment to embark on a student exchange for 2014
4. To improve electronic communication by setting up a contact person in each school
utilising Viber and Skype
5. To scope out a Student Travel Itinerary that would develop further relationships
between students staff and and the school communities of James Cook and Sanjing
schools. Included in this itinerary would be sister school visit, and a tour of China
highlighting historical sights, cultural experiences and a richer knowledge of Asia and
Australia’s engagement supporting;
a) AusVELS curriculum knowledge, skills and understandings.
B) Melbourne Declaration of Goals for Young Australians
c) National Statement on Asia Literacy in Australian Schools
d) Australian Federal Government – White Paper
James Cook Primary School sent 3 three staff members on this trip. The Principal class team
who visited last time to further consolidate the relationship, display commitment to the
Memorandum signed in 2012 from a system level on behalf of Jiangsu Bureau of Education
and South Eastern Victoria Region and deliver the proposal with our objectives. Our
Mandarin Language teacher was included in this trip for obvious reasons to enhance
communication to ensure our objectives were communicated clearly and to enhance his
teaching methodology within our school.
This tour was highly successful as agreement was reached between the schools on teacher
and student exchange, dates set for the exchanges, ICT communication set up and tested
and a student tour was travelled by us to now decide on an appropriate itinerary with
contacts to relevant people who can work with us in this future planning and organisation.
The historical and cultural touring of this trip walking the path that we would take students
was extremely valuable and crucial to;
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Communicate to the school council and community exactly what the trip looks , feels
and sounds like for students as we are now experienced
Understand the risk management that is needed according to different areas
travelled
Gain the necessary educational and personal insight into the history, geography,
economy and cultural relevance of each place visited and the significance to not only
Australia but the global impact in the world to develop a China International Travel
program that we can implement with students prior, during and after their trip
Be familiar with the organisation needed in regard to the best way to travel in China,
what places to include in the visit, safety and security measures and how to prepare
students for this trip
The tour also brought together 6 schools that shared
their future aspirations for Asian Literacy
implementation in Australian schools and further
cemented the network commitment in expanding,
sharing, resourcing and delivering this important next
level of work to Australian schools together.
REFLECTION
On embarking on this Beyond The Wall China Study Tour;
1. Our expectations before the study tour included:
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Further develop relationships with our sister school
Initiate a teacher exchange
To improve communication via electronic media
Develop each participants personal learning about china, its history, culture,
geography, people, customs and places
To scope out a tour relevant to students and to enhance Curriculum delivered in our
school
To be able to bring a better understanding to the knowledge, skills and attitudes to
deliver a high quality Chinese Language Program and Asian Studies program to James
Cook PS

Strengthen relationships with 5 other attending schools as a network
2. In relation to any changes to these expectations or after the tour;
Many of the expectations were met with success, communication and interactions and it
will now be the work of setting an action plan over the next 12 to 18 months to monitor and
follow up commitments. So our expectations did not change however sparked the
understanding for future work.
Further discussion with participants and the school community on the student tour and
length of stay and finer details will be developed. A raised expectation on the next level of
work within our own school on the Curriculum Development of Asian Literacy is heightened.
A question of shared interaction between our network schools and other rural schools in
Gippsland that James Cook has developed sister school relations with has a significant
interest to our school
3. The highlights of the tour were:
From a school perspective: As a school, the James Cook Principal class team are very
confident of the relationships and the realisation of achieving the objectives set in the
report section.
For our students; The highlight will be to experience China, our sister school and make the
links with their learning in school to a physical presence by actually visiting China it the
cities, people sights and the travel overall.
Personally; Our staff felt privileged, overwhelmed and
awed to see amazing wonders of the world such as the
Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Warriors but now
can place their significance with the history of
development of our modern world.
4. The impact that this will have on James Cook
primary school in 3 to 5 years’ time:
This will enhance our Global focus and perspective on student learning not only in Mandarin
language but Cross Curricular priorities. Building teacher capacity in delivering curriculum
but expanding their horizons via the exchanges and developed ICT communication can only
give a better education instruction to students.
Our community have embraced the ideas of a sister school but this will again be developed
further and families may be encouraged to visit China through their child’s relationship with
sister school students.
6. Has this tour changed our thinking about China?
Yes and No. it has strengthened our vision as we have a better understanding. We feel we
are more prepared and ready as a school to take on our planned objectives earlier than we
thought especially for a small school with a low SES.
7. From a systems point of view, we have achieved:
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International Relationships – Memorandum of Understanding between China and
SEVR education systems.
Focus on the Australian Federal Government and Victorian DEECD priorities
Developing the globalisation of education
Increasing high quality instructional practice and programs in schools to develop
student achievement
8. The significance of an in country experience in comparison to Skype or email is as follows:
We can be there in person, physically. Students need to be face to face; immersed in the
feelings, sights, smells and sounds using all of the senses to take in what is around them.
We need to touch a hand by a handshake, listen to a word, laugh together, share food and
stories together, smile and look in to each other’s eyes to confirm friendship. This is not
always possible electronically.
9. This tour exceeded our expectations as;
All of our objectives were discussed and tabled
with several proposals being made as
preliminary to the formal invitations to follow
this term. Our school embraced us and were
keen to commit. Our confidence has grown
confirming the vision our school is taking. The
power of a network of schools taking this
proactive action of visiting China together with
clear goals and vision meant success.
CONCLUSION
We have enjoyed this trip immensely due to the fruition of our vision and objectives. We
have a better understanding about China, its history, people and places. We have the
confidence to move forward in taking or community
along with us on the exchanges and also ensuring our
students have the opportunity to be global citizens in
the real sense of this meaning. We can make it happen
due to the learning and physical experiences we had for
this trip. We believe our network will continue to meet,
share and flourish due to this experience. The
participants of the tour from James Cook Primary
School were partially funded by the school but mostly
self-funded which shows the personal commitment to
developing this international program with our school.
I would like to thank the support of the James Cook Primary
School Council for their support in what we are trying to
achieve. I would like to commend Ian McKenzie who led this
trip and shared his experience and contacts in china to assist the network school in
achieving their goals.
Kathy Sharp
Principal
Lynne McDonald
Assistant Principal
Han Hung
Mandarin Language Teacher