MIC's 2025-2026 Academic Year First Teacher Professional Development Day Successfully Concludes!On September 19, we welcomed a feast of knowledge—the MIC Professional Development Day. ESL&EAP（English as Second Language） experts provided on-site guidance, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award was reinterpreted, and first aid skills were practiced in real-world scenarios… 
How exciting was this event? Take you straight to the scene!
At the beginning of the training event, Principal Simon Feng reiterated MIC’s student-centered educational philosophy, emphasizing that the purpose of teaching and learning revolves closely around Students’ Wellbeing and Students’ Performance. He proposed three key focus areas for teachers’ professional development this academic year: ensuring the Quality of Teaching, establishing a Professional Relationship with Students, and serving as a Role Model for Students.
Teachers are the core driving force of the school’s development. Continuous professional growth is not only about improving teaching skills but also about fulfilling the mission of education. Principal Simon encouraged teachers to actively utilize the PD Day to reflect on their teaching, absorb new knowledge, and broaden their horizons, truly achieving "mutual growth through teaching and learning."
"Helping students overcome the challenges of reading and writing in a second language"—the workshop led by ESL&EAP education expert Matthew Gordon from Hong Kong was full of practical insights! From the "three-stage theory" of reading teaching (pre-reading, during-reading, post-reading) to the "process-genre approach" in writing teaching, this expert left teachers exclaiming.
In the workshop "Helping Students Understand and Write Texts in Their Second Language," Matthew started from second language acquisition theory, combined with numerous teaching cases, deeply analyzed common difficulties students face in academic reading and writing, and proposed a systematic teaching framework.
The lecture featured frequent interactions, with teachers discussing how to integrate ESL strategies into their respective subjects (such as science, humanities, arts, etc.).
An internationally recognized educational program in 130+ countries; voluntary service + skill development + physical recreation + adventurous journey; cultivating students' resilience, leadership, and social responsibility… Ms. Ellen Liu, Senior Operations Officer of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award China, interpreted the award’s educational philosophy and operational framework. On-site teachers engaged in discussions and consultations on how to implement the award activities within the school and how to integrate the award with existing curricula.
At MIC, nearly a hundred students have participated in the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award practice program through the school. The award provides a structured development path for students through four sections: "voluntary service, skill development, physical recreation, and adventurous journey," fostering resilience, leadership, and intercultural competence. It helps students discover themselves, build confidence, and understand society beyond the classroom.
MIC’s Head of Student Activities, Rasa, and Deputy Head, Aaron, comprehensively introduced MIC’s rich campus enrichment program system. MIC has established dozens of student clubs and projects covering arts, sports, academics, leadership, media, and other areas, such as the upgraded school TV studio, MIC band, host team, and science club.
They particularly emphasized that these programs are not just "extracurricular activities" but important platforms for students to discover interests, develop skills, and build identity. They also enhance their sense of belonging and school cohesion. The deep involvement of teachers—whether as instructors, project advisors, or activity mentors—is key to the success of these programs. "Teachers’ support directly determines whether students can achieve genuine growth beyond the classroom."
The afternoon breakout forums adopted a dual-venue parallel approach, focusing on the application of ESL strategies in specific subjects.
The UK program venue was hosted by Vice Academic Principal Daniel Downer, themed "Optimizing Academic Communication through ESL Awareness," exploring how to help students overcome obstacles in academic writing and oral expression in international curricula. The BC program venue was led by English Language Arts Head Richnel Lambarte, who shared practical experiences in embedding language support strategies in subjects such as humanities and science.
Both forums emphasized the teaching philosophy of "deep integration of language and content," reflecting MIC’s continuous exploration of interdisciplinary collaboration and teaching innovation.
This PD Day specially included a campus first aid training session. School doctors Rachel and Gwen demonstrated emergency response methods for common campus accidents and guided teachers in practical exercises. This further enhanced the staff’s ability to respond to emergencies, reflecting the school’s high emphasis on campus safety.
MIC holds professional development days regularly every year, regarding them as a key part of building the teaching team. This event comprehensively enhanced teachers’ professional capability and comprehensive abilities, from educational philosophy to classroom practice, from academic support to student care, and from teaching skills to safety assurance.
