A Note from Nicola...
In August, I will be travelling to Singapore with 11 other educators across New Zealand. I have been connecting with teachers from Bukit Timah Primary School and our students have been starting to learn about Singapore. This week in Tautoru, we have started to write letters to the school and I will bring these over as part of a gift.
By the time our youngest students are in the workplace, the number of middle class in Asia will have increased to over 3 billion… 60% of the world’s middle class will be in Asia by 2030. Three of the four top economies in the world will be in Asia… 1 - China, 2 – USA, 3 – India, 4 – Japan.
New Zealand’s economy is increasingly reliant on our export markets in Asia. China is our biggest export market through our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2008. We also have FTAs with Korea and ASEAN countries with negotiations underway with India.
In New Zealand itself our demographics are changing. In the last 20 years our Asian population has grown from 3% to 12% and predicted to be 21% by 2038.
An audio visual from Asia New Zealand Foundation helps to explain the Asian Century and what it means for our students – Equipping your child to thrive in the Asian Century
To better prepare our children for their future we are currently exploring how we can develop students’ knowledge, skill and understanding of Asia and Asian cultures.
Our students have generated some questions for Bukit Timah Primary School:
Do you celebrate Christmas?
What kind of food do you eat?
Do you celebrate Christmas?
What do you celebrate?
Do you get awards for your good behaviour or your learning?
How many classes do you have? How many students do you have in each class?
Where do you learn?
What do you learn?
Do you have a uniform?
What time do you start school?
What time do you end school?
What do you guys do for lunch? Where do you eat your lunch?
How many teachers do you have? Who are your teachers?
What languages do you speak?
Do you have technology? If so, what do you use?
What materials do you use for learning?
Why are some of your building shaped like flowers?
What kind of plants do you have?
What furniture do you have in your class? Do you have desks?
What games do you play?
What do you have in your view?
What type of playground do you have?
How big is your school? How many children are there at your school?
Do you go on field trips?
Do you have menus for lunch?
We have permission from Bukit Timah School to post this clip.
