Exploring International Education in Suzhou

Suzhou North America High School
Suzhou North America High School, Jiangsu Province, China

Suzhou, a city famous for its silk industry, is our second stop of this China trip. Benefiting from its proximity to Shanghai, Suzhou is developing fast and ranked seven in terms of 2018 gross domestic product (GDP). Along with the economic boost, people are looking for educational improvement and innovation for the next generation. In this context, Suzhou North America (SNA) High School was founded in 2013 aiming to provide a complete American curriculum to local Chinese students. Through the partnership with the College of Education at NCSU and Friday Institute, SNA is exploring an innovative education model that blends both the western and eastern philosophy.

Students’ Biology Project Work Display

Unlike traditional Chinese schools who are didactic-focused and teacher-oriented, at SNA, student-centered teaching and personalized learning are particularly emphasized. While we had the school tour and class observations, students were encouraged to work on tasks creatively and collaboratively in multiple ways. In one Social Studies class, the teacher asked students to create a timeline of the development of the internet with visuals. In another English as a Foreign Language class, students were designing their own unit quiz based on certain criteria offered by theteacher. For both classes, teamwork was mandatory but students had options to choose their team members.

Students Doing Teamwork in the Social Studies Class

Additionally, students have the opportunity to join various clubs (e.g., Soccer, Fabrication, Graphic Design) and elective classes (e.g., Project-based Inquiry Global, English Literature, Statistics). In the Robotics club, students designed and created a “Transformer” using a donated car from their teacher. In the Makerspace, students can apply visual arts into 3D design and printing.

SNA Students Playing Basketball with NCSU Study Abroad Students

The idea of integrating American curriculum with Chinese traditional value has attracted quality teachers from 20 different countries who make up 80 percent of the faculty. On one hand, the diverse faculty population is advantageous to students in light of cross-cultural contact and wide content knowledge, on the other hand, the relatively high teacher turnover is an emergent issue that all international schools including Suzhou North America are faced up with. However, I believe such an international education coorperation is a meaningful practice that is beneficial to students, teachers, and educators.

Study Abroad Students Tour at the SNA High Schcool
Study Abroad Students Taking a Break at Mini Hunt Library Steps