Science Park is a bus ride (provided by the school) from the apartment. It is in the Guangzhou Science City and looks different than many of the other areas of Guangzhou. All the classrooms are air conditioned but the rest of the buildings are open to the air. It is actually really cool and they are going through a renovation of various areas. Their sports facilites are amazing including a weight room that faculty can use (including a faculty locker room and shower), an outdoor rock climbing wall, and open pingpong tables scattered about.
There are student spaces to hang out as there is a break between all the 85 minue block classes. (This student area is not all rearranged yet as school has not started).
As we were touring the building, we walked by the innovation lab. The first room has at 10 3D printers. There is a second lab behind it. The best part: Any teacher can schedule to use it!
All the science classrooms are on the first floor and face directly to the outside. The middle school is on the second floor and the high school is on the third floor. It is weird not having other classrooms near you to visit others but I face a courtyard with greenery. My classroom door is in the middle of the bottom level.
And the view from another angle of the courtyard outside my door:
Inside it is a big space and I have since moved the tables into 5 groups with tables facing each other
There is a prep room in the back where the TA works and where all the equipment is.
This school has a great fine arts program and they look at developing the whole child not just academics.
They are one of the few schools that is a full IB school. Every student takes IB classes but can choose on various focuses (more science, etc.) Not everyone takes the Diploma Programme, but they all take IB classes.
I have 5 classes: 2 9th grade Integrated Science which lays the groundwork for IB, 2 IB Biology SL (standard level), and 1 IB Biology HL (high level). The high level is more accelerated, has an extra module, and has more requirements for the students (and me). I see each class everyother day. I will have two classes one day, and three the second day, then it repeats but they change the order the classes run so those that met in the morning on day 1 will meet in the afternoon on day 3. I have an advisory which is a structured study hall and have a block of planning time as well as a block for PLC with the Science Department. Each block is 85 minutes long. There are breaks between classes and lunch is at the same time for everyone. Students and staff are welcome to grab their food and eat elsewhere.
As with any new place: It will be different than what I have known before. Just settle in and adapt. Home is what most would say is normal to them.
If you adopt the idea that home is a state of mind and not actually a place, you can do anything.
At night, we went to a Yunnan restaurant and sampled many foods including fried mealworms (which I have had before). This is the vegetarian foods:
Sounds like a lot to take in. But youll do it. Take care. Love