News

Grade 8: Culture Moments Service Learning Activity

September 24, 2021

Shanghai is both a retro and modern city, with Chinese and foreign cultures complementing each other, where modern and traditional civilization have become eclectic. How to use the power of youth to promote cultural inheritance is one of the topics that the eighth grade "Culture Moments" service-learning group constantly thinks about and puts into practice.

In the warm autumn day, under the mottled sycamore tree, on the vicissitudes of Nanchang Road, let's have an unforgettable encounter with Haipai culture. Initiated by Jinlv Research Institue, and jointly organized by Ruijin Second Road Street, amateur volunteers, and student social service volunteers of Shanghai Middle School International Department, the first "Allah Moments - Encounter" public welfare series was successfully held on Nanchang Road, Ruijin Street. Six students from the "Culture Moments" Learning Service in the eighth grade joined as commentators, which added fun and interactivity to the activity. Wandering between Chinese and English, they sincerely demonstrated the "reasons for liking Shanghai" and explained to the participants the charm of a blended Chinese and Western culture from the perspective of a "global citizen". Mr. Shen Tianyuan, director of the junior high school section of the International Department, and Ms. Shen Ying, the eighth-grade team leader and instructor of the service agency, attended the event, which also attracted many well-known media in Shanghai to report the whole process.

Nanchang Road is full of years of historical stories, where many people with great influence in Chinese culture and history have left footprints. The purpose of the activity was to discover the special culture contained in the old city of Shanghai, and to find out how Chinese and Western culture were integrated. Together with the amateur guides who were born and raised here, Culture Moments group told the participating adults and children the stories of cultural celebrities such as Tagore, Xu Zhimo, and Lin Fengmian in Chinese and English. They also visited the library, graffiti wall, science hall, the alleys of Shikumen, the living room of the Humanities Club, "Meeting Music at the Corner" as well as tasted the famous meat mooncakes.

Students’ wonderful presentations won bursts of applause from the participants. Although it was very hot, everyone was happy with their efforts and experience.

"As a series of activities, 'Ala Moments' has achieved very good results in the first phase, indicating that our activities are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people." Mr. Chen Zhongyang, vice president of Shanghai Jinjiang Tourism Holdings Co., Ltd., said, "I hope that through this activity, more students can go out of the campus and the classroom, go deep into society, perceive the environment we live, and broaden their horizons."

Service-learning is an important moral character course in the junior high school of the International Department of Shanghai Middle School. Students combine the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom with the needs of real society through research under the guidance of teachers. Through thinking about solutions, landing actions and reflections, students will constantly improve and upgrade, transform the understanding and application of ourselves, others and the world, so that effective learning can occur in a real environment.

(Written by Sunny 8(2), Robin 8(4), Katie 8(12), Gavin 8(1), Daniel 8(11) Supervised by Ma Xinyu Pictures by Shanghai Media)