Paying Chinese knowledge forward

Hillsmeade students learn Chinese singing and dancing.

By Danielle Kutchel

They say the best way to learn something is to teach it to another – and that has certainly proved true for two local schools.

Year 9 Victorian Young Leaders to China (VYLC) students from Alkira Secondary College have been visiting Hillsmeade Primary School to pass on their knowledge of Chinese language and culture.

Three Learning Chinese Matters (LCM) sessions have been held at Hillsmeade Primary School for grade 4, 5 and 6 students, with the third session held on Wednesday 11 September.

Fourteen VYLC students ran paper cutting, Chinese singing and dancing and Beijing Mask making activities with their younger counterparts.

The sessions were run at Hillsmeade, where students learn Mandarin, to further embed cultural understanding and to strengthen the relationship between the primary school and Alkira.

It was also an opportunity for the older students to demonstrate their leadership skills and pay forward the cultural and language knowledge that they had gained during a trip to China in earlier this year.

Alkira students were positive about the LCM program.

“I really liked the LCM program,” said Bailey.

“We had a great time teaching the students at Hillsmeade and the students had just as great a time as us.”