In September 2017, grade 2 Chinese English bilingual students from TK performed at the Jurong Spring Multi-Racial Mid-Autumn Festival. Their performance showcased how we use stories to communicate different cultures, ideas and feelings - something students were learning about in their 'how we express ourselves’ unit.

As they prepared for the big day, students discussed and contributed ideas for a performance called “唐诗新唱” (also known as poems and melody). They also decided to use Beijing Opera Masks (京剧脸谱) to depict the unique way of storytelling in Chinese culture. Students then painted the mask of each character in different colours to visually represent values such as loyalty, honesty, justice, and perseverance.

While our student performers may have hailed from 18 different home countries, they performed as one as they recited four ancient Chinese Tang poems (唐诗) and integrated a modern song (to show their appreciation for the beauty of Chinese culture) into the show. It was definitely a performance with lots of heart and the audience, both CIS parents and hundreds of people from local school groups and other organisations, absolutely loved it.  

This was our TK grade 2’s first time connecting with the local community and putting on a stage performance outside school, so they were keen to share their knowledge and appreciation of cultural values. It was also the perfect chance for students to practise being a communicator (one of the ten IB learner profile traits). The mid-autumn performance at Jurong Spring Community Centre was indeed a golden opportunity for everyone!

As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. This exciting journey not only enhanced their understanding of their unit which explored different cultures and communicating through storytelling, it also marked an unforgettable milestone in their grade 2 journey.