More photos from this internship can be found here
Develop your teaching and language skills through an internship at the Jinqiao Education Group. As the largest private education group in Wuxi, China, the Jinqiao schools offer interns the chance to work with students in a variety of settings. The Wuxi Jinqiao Bilingual Experimental School is a primary school with two branches, serving more than 2,500 students collectively.
Since 2004, they have been running a Bilingual Education Research Program. Jinqiao also has two kindergartens serving more than 1,200 students. Lastly, Jinqiao has an after-school program to teach English to children under 12 and to help train kindergarten teachers. Annually the program serves 10,000 students and 2,000 kindergarten teachers. Accommodation, meals, and small living stipend provided.
Jinqiao Education Group is the largest private education group in Wuxi and consists of one primary school, two kindergartens, and one afterschool training school.
Jinqiao's primary school has two branches with 2,600 students and 220 staff members. It started Bilingual Education research as the first research institute in Wuxi. In 2004, Jinqiao's research program - Bilingual Education Research and Experiments in Primary School - was adopted as the sub-research program of Bilingual Education Research and Experiments in Elementary Education which was once managed by the Ministry of Education of China. Also in 2004, Jinqiao Bilingual Experimental School was granted the status as a National Bilingual Education Lab by the Ministry of Education of China. It has close contact with Shuqun Primary School of Singapore. Every year Jinqiao and Shuqun primary schools participate in an international exchange of elected teachers and students for several months to share knowledge and experience. Jinqiao knows how to be a host!
Jinqiao has 2 kindergartens, named Jinqiao Experimental Kindergarten and Liyuan Jinqiao Experimental Kindergarten. These two kindergartens have 1,200 students and 120 staff between them. Jinqiao Experimental was certified as one of China’s Top 100 Kindergartens in 2010.
This after school program works to teach English to children under 12 and as well as train kindergarten teachers. Last year they taught 10,000 children and 2,000 kindergarten teachers.
Interns typically teach a variety of classes across the primary schools and kindergartens. Interns can also request to teach certain age groups. Interns are generally paired with a Chinese teacher for support and assistance. Interns may also teach classes with another foreign teacher. The following are typical tasks, but the intern is encouraged to tailor the experience to match his/her skills and interests.
Interns must be interested in and open to different cultures. Additionally, interns are expected to:
Jinqiao Schools will reimburse interns for visa-related costs. Transportation to and from work is provided daily. A local cell phone is also provided, but interns are responsible for the costs of using the phone.
A monthly living stipend of 2,000 RMB is provided (approximately $300). Jinqiao Schools also reimburses interns (in part) for roundtrip airfare. For a three month internship, interns are eligible for up to 30% reimbursement. Interns staying for six months can receive up to 50%, and interns for 12 months are eligible for full reimbursement of airfare.
Interns stay on campus in a dormitory. Rooms are usually single occupancy, and three meals are provided daily on campus.
“The students and staff at Jinqiao were so amazing and welcoming. I am so happy that I choose to pursue this opportunity. I learned how much I really care for children and how much I actually enjoy teaching. My favorite moments were when the kids would catch a glimpse of me in the hall, smile and frantically wave their arms to get my attention. I came to really care about my students, even the rambunctious ones. I was able to learn new skills that I will use, should I choose to purse a path in education such as classroom management, versatility, leadership, and communication techniques. During my time in China I have met so many great people, both at my school and out in society. I even have plans to go back and visit next year. I am glad I took a chance and made the most of my experience as an intern at Jinqiao Bilingual experimental school.” - Marcella, Oregon State University Cascades
Read more about Marcella’s internship at Jinqiao Schools here.
“People here are immensely kind. My students are sweet and silly and loving, and make me feel like I am really wanted here. I have strangers talk to me every single day, ask me where I am from, what I do, how long I have been in China, and much more. They teach me words in Chinese, and go out of their way to help me when I need it. When I smile at strangers, they always smile back. When I wave at them, they return the gesture. (Usually, I try to do this on days when I am feeling frustrated by the stares, because it reminds me that people are just genuinely interested, and don’t mean any harm). Everyone I’ve met here has made me feel like all they want to do is share their home and their culture with me, and help me learn to love it for all of the reasons they love it, for everything that it is and isn’t. In spite of the Chinese peoples’ social reservation, I have found that they are truly some of the warmest and most welcoming people I’ve ever met, once I smile and speak a bit of Chinese with them. Perhaps on some level, the people sense how foreign and confusing their world is to me, because when I’m about at my wits end, absorbed in inconveniences and minor annoyances, I always seem to meet someone new, whose kindness and humanity pulls me out of my worries, and back into this experience. Those moments definitely make all of the little frustrations both insignificant, and entirely worth it.” – Ayantu, University of Oregon
“We are here to go over pronunciation and work on cultural ideas in English with the students, meaning our class should be more light-hearted and fun. While I was at first bothered by the fact that I was not seriously teaching English, in the kind of professional way I had expected, there is also nothing wrong with adapting to demands from a job that are unexpected. I’m more of a serious person. This job has taught me to relax in front of the students, have some fun, and encourage the students to like me. Relaxed form and peppiness, both not natural strong-suits of mine, are growing through this internship. I feel accomplished not only for that, but also for adapting to the internship’s desires from me, and proving to myself that I am able to complete the tasks presented at hand, even if they are not what I had expected, and maybe weren’t exactly what I had initially wanted to do. This internship is helping me to complete my goal of being a more flexible person, because flexibility is a large part of this internship. I’m growing better at going with the flow.” – Erin, University of Oregon
“My job as an intern here is to teach kindergartners at a different campus in the morning and coming back to the campus I live at in the afternoon to teach primary school students, grades 1 to 6. In addition, every Wednesday we teach one of the English Corner Classes which is like an after school activity for 7th and 8th graders to have fun and learn more about American culture. I thought this was a great set up because I work with students from different age groups. Having the ability to talk to other teachers and teaching students whose first language is not English, I am able to enhance my communication skills, not only verbally, but I am also learning how to get an idea across when there is a language barrier. More importantly, I am able to improve my Chinese proficiency in terms of my speaking ability and use what I have learned in real life, such as bargaining in Chinese (although it didn’t work so well).” – Sammi, Oregon State University
“Although I had some teaching experience in America before my trip, I certainly learned a lot teaching English for the summer. Something I will forever appreciate about Jinqiao and Ma Laoshi was their willingness to let me take my own teaching direction and have the confidence in my ability to do so. Having that support made it much easier to do my job well and have a ton of fun while doing so.” – Taylor, University of Oregon
“The skills and discipline attained over my stay here will be useful for any career path I choose to take within or out of the education field. Going abroad has allotted me the opportunity to meet very influential people from all over the world. I have been able to create great connections and friendships I plan to keep.” – Sarah, Concordia University
Fall: April 15
Spring: November 15
-Education related background is preferred, but not required.
-Possess communication skills with children