Childlink’s international collab widens academic, cultural knowledge of its students

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – International collaboration with three Z clubs in the Hongkong high schools focusing on anti-cyber bullying has widened the academic and cultural knowledge of the students of Childlink Learning Center and Highschool Inc., as it continues to find ways to improve its curriculum and learning strategies.

Childlink managing director and president Maria Theresa Tio recalled that they started its international collaboration when they went to Hong Kong in 2017. “We started the collaboration because we want our students to go and see how schooling is done in other countries,” she said.

Tio said that one of the school’s advocacy is anti-cyber bullying and she wanted to work with the other Z Clubs towards advocating against cyber bullying all over the world.

She explained that the four Z Clubs then created a Facebook page designed to increase awareness of this growing concern and to emphasize that cyberbullying is not good and may even be detrimental to those affected by it.

The next collaboration was with the Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. The university allowed students to experience learning in a university in preparation for the college life.

Aside from providing learning experiences for the school’s students, Tio said that the collaboration also provided an opportunity to see the new trends being implemented at the Taiwan university.

“We also saw how new technology is applied in learning.  One of the trends that is already widespread in use in Taiwan is animation and 3D printing using a special printer,” she said.

The Childlink students were taught how to program and make their own products and have these printed on the 3D printer.  They also shared with the university students their anti cyber bullying advocacy using this technology.

As a result of the collaboration with the Taiwan university, some of the college students came to Cebu to teach in Childlink.  “Among the many things that the college students taught us, how to cook Taiwanese food and play cultural games were most enjoyed by the Linkers,” Tio added.

Childlink continued its international collaboration when their students went to Singapore in 2019.  Tio bared that at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), Childlink students were able to see so many best practices done in SIM and they got ideas how to set up our own wellness center, she added.

The Singapore school had an area where they conduct social and emotional wellness for their students.

Childlink set up a wellness center in collaboration with barangay Guadalupe, which was patterned after that of the Singapore university.  However, the operation was stopped as of this time because of the pandemic, Tio said.

Despite the pandemic, the school continues its collaboration with schools abroad.  Childlink collaborated with schools in Japan through webinars this school year.  The webinars done were more of a cultural exchange. 

In the cultural exchange, Childlink students shared poems written by Filipinos, which highlights how Filipinos want real freedom. They also learned the Japanese’ love for country and values of bravery and courage.

The cultural exchange also included the sharing of light moments such as knowing Japanese anime and Japanese food as well as a shared love for Kpop.

On the other hand, Childlink students shared with the Japanese the beautiful tourist sites in the Philippines, Filipino traditional songs and folk dances as well as modern dances.

This cultural exchange also enabled the Linkers to appreciate Filipino culture and fostered nationalism among them.  The collaboration with the schools in Japan ended in February.

Tio said that they hope to resume these collaborations in July and August during the incoming school year.  “We want our students to be globally more aware of the social, cultural and educational trends that are happening. They will learn many things and will be open to new ideas,” she explained.

Childlink recognizes that education should be more globally inclined and should adopt new ways of learning.  The school was able to benchmark itself through these collaborations.

“In a way, we realize that the kind of education we have should not be too focused on the academic side. We must be at par with the international standard. Academic learning should be linked with real lift. We can adopt best practices of education from other countries,” Tio pointed out.

Childlink then applies the various learning strategies they learned from these collaborations. Tio added that the school must make these activities to strengthen what students learn

academically and the school is now restructuring our curriculum to make it more responsive to the real situation. 

According to Tio that the school is now offering Summer Classes starting June 7.   These include Reading Classes for Preschool to Grade 3; English classes for foreign students for all grade levels; Reinforcement Classes on English, Mathematics, Science, Filipino, MTB and Civics for all grade levels; and Music Classes for all grade levels.

Tio explained that the purpose of summer classes is to reinforce learning in preparation for the next level.  Childlink also wants to provide the opportunity for students to discover new interest, including music.

Meanwhile, the next school year will start on July 19. The classes will be done through online class and the home school program.

For inquiries, please contact Teacher Auda or Analy at 415-2963 or 0933-812-2911. You can also message the official Facebook page Childlink Learning Center and High School or Facebook account Childlink. (Photos: Childlink)