At The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, maintaining strong school-parent communication is a core practice.
Given that students come from various parts of the country—and even abroad—the school carefully selected the day before National Day for its first parent meeting of the academic year. This special timing allowed parents to connect with the school, gain insight into their child’s academic progress, and align on key semester goals, ensuring the optimal environment for students to thrive.
Close Communication: Understanding the Big Picture!
School Head Zheng Ran opened the meeting by outlining the school’s educational blueprint for 2024-2025. She emphasized five major focus areas: deepening curriculum reform, strengthening character education, enhancing school-parent collaboration, focusing on students' mental and physical well-being, and expanding academic and institutional partnerships. Ms. Zheng Ran stressed that achieving these goals requires not only the dedication of the school but also the full support, understanding, and involvement of parents. She likened the relationship between school and home to two oars working in sync, propelling the students toward success.
A Detailed Look at Student Development
Academic Director Yu Liping offered parents a deep dive into the school’s curriculum and personalized learning strategies. She explained the unique features of the curriculum—designed to ensure a holistic education—and shared insights on how the school assesses individual students’ progress. Yu also provided practical advice on supporting children’s practice sessions at home and discussed options for second study. This attention to detail reflected the school’s commitment to nurturing each student’s individual growth.
School-Home Collaboration: The Three Pillars of Learning
Pillar 1: Academic Learning
Teachers from core subjects like Chinese, Mathematics, and English gave presentations on the academic curriculum and their teaching methodologies. They emphasized the importance of a solid academic foundation for developing well-rounded musicians. Highlights included: bilingual teaching and fostering mathematical thinking from early grades; tiered English instruction, supplemented with courses like Music-English Drama, Science in English, and Public Speaking to encourage practical language use; an interdisciplinary approach in Chinese lessons, along with the announcement of an upcoming Chinese Culture Week.
Pillar 2: Music Studies
Faculty from various departments—including violin, cello, piano, woodwinds, and brass—met with parents to discuss the individual learning plans (ILPs) for each student. These plans, tailored to each child’s progress and abilities, outline short-, mid-, and long-term goals along with strategies for selecting appropriate repertoire and achieving those goals. Faculty collaboration ensures each student receives the support needed to excel.
Pillar 3: Chamber Music and General Musicianship
How can holistic education better support student development? How can it help children achieve their musical goals along the way? During the meeting, teachers from the Chamber Music Department and General Musicianship introduced the curriculum and teaching plans for the academic year. Parents were given insight into how The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao incorporates university-level content into its K-12 programs, ensuring that students receive comprehensive training from the start of their musical education. The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, including music theory, history, appreciation, sight-singing and ear training, composition, and choir. This well-rounded education, conducted entirely in English, provides students with a solid foundation for applying to international conservatories and pursuing professional artistic careers. Chamber music, in particular, was emphasized as more than just an artistic endeavor—it teaches students to respect, understand, and embrace others in collaborative settings. Through ensemble work, students not only create beautiful music together but also cultivate essential character traits, supporting both their personal growth and artistic development.
We place no limits on communication between the school and families!
In addition to traditional parent-teacher conferences, The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao offers a variety of ways to stay connected. Advisors, principal teachers, and co-teachers regularly engage in online meetings with parents, tailoring discussions to each student’s individual progress. The school also organizes events such as student progress analysis meetings for new students, family welcome meetings, one-on-one parent meetings, campus open weeks, and Head of School meet-and-greet days. These opportunities allow parents to step inside the campus and gain first-hand experience of their child’s learning and daily life.
Looking ahead, the school will continue to uphold its holistic education philosophy, with family-school collaboration as a cornerstone and student growth at the heart of its mission. Together with parents, the school is committed to nurturing future musicians, working hand in hand to help students thrive on their artistic journey and achieve their full potential.