When prospective teachers first hear about BASIS Bilingual Schools, they often imagine an experience vastly different from BASIS International Schools. But the truth is, the similarities far outweigh the differences. Both types of schools share the same overarching mission: to provide a world-class education that prepares students to succeed at top universities worldwide. This shared commitment to rigorous academic standards, a global curriculum, and a culture of collaboration connects every BASIS Curriculum School in China – whether bilingual or international.
“A BASIS school is a BASIS school whether it’s bilingual or international,” shares James Rock, Head of Upper Primary School at BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen. After starting his journey at BASIS International School Shenzhen, James transitioned to the bilingual campus. “The students are the same type of students—highly committed to educational excellence. They have the means and ability to do very well, but it’s also our instruction and curriculum that make the difference.”
What Defines BASIS International & Bilingual Schools · China?
The foundation of every BASIS Curriculum School is the BASIS Curriculum – a program of depth, rigor, and interdisciplinary learning. Designed to challenge students to think critically and analytically, the curriculum prepares them to thrive at competitive universities worldwide.
Whether at an international or bilingual campus, the BASIS Curriculum delivers the same world-class educational experience. However, there is one key distinction: BASIS Bilingual Schools integrate the Chinese National Curriculum with the BASIS Curriculum, while BASIS International Schools exclusively teach the BASIS Curriculum.
Despite the difference, the day-to-day teaching experience is remarkably similar across both types of schools. Classes are taught in English, except for Chinese language courses, and both emphasize global readiness.
“Sometimes teachers hear ‘bilingual,’ and they automatically think that half of the classes are in Chinese,” explains Michael Gonzalez, Head of Lower Primary School at BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen. “But that’s not the case. The only classes taught in Chinese are the Chinese language classes. The rest of the classes are fully taught in English. We are very much an international environment.”
Alan Adame, Director of College Counseling at BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen adds: “It is an international school in terms of the high expectations of teachers. They demand a certain level of competency, analysis, and collaboration fully in English. Our target is always to make students prepared for Top 50 U.S. universities or equivalents around the world. Therefore, the courses they are taking through the BASIS curriculum are preparing them to be competitive for those top universities.”
This clarification is key to understanding the bilingual model. While the bilingual schools honor their local context by integrating the Chinese National Curriculum, they maintain the same high standards and international focus that define all BASIS Curriculum Schools.
A Network of Opportunities for Teachers
BASIS International & Bilingual Schools ·China (BIBS · C) is a collaborative and innovative teaching culture that spans the entire network of campuses. Teachers at both the bilingual and international schools benefit from ongoing professional development and opportunities to collaborate with their colleagues from within their own campus and across the network.
“My experiences at BASIS International School Shenzhen and BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen have been very similar,” shared Lora Goude, Grade 1 Humanities Chair, who has taught at both types of schools. “As an expat teacher, I feel very valued at both campuses. We’re appreciated for what we bring to the classroom, and we’re able to share best practices to ensure the best possible educational experience for the students.”
Joanna Zawadzka, a BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen teacher, said: “I enjoy and appreciate that from the beginning BASIS schools gave us a lot of trust as teachers. We have been given a lot of freedom in what we choose to teach, how we teach it, and how we incorporate our methods in our classroom. They do encourage us to be very creative in our classes.”
Teachers also emphasize the global perspectives they gain from working alongside colleagues from around the world. “One thing that I really enjoyed since coming to BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen is the collaboration we’ve been able to have with lots of different teachers from around the world,” shared Eve Downing, a BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen teacher. “It’s interesting to collaborate with people with really different world perspectives.”
Zoe O’Dea, an English teacher at BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen, highlighted the strength of collaboration within the BIBS · C network: “This is something that I really enjoy about being a part of the network – the collaboration element. On a school level, you have weekly horizontal planning meetings with your other grade teachers. This also extends to the network level where you attend regular meetings online with teachers in the same grade across the network so there is this constant sharing of resources discussing the delivery of the content. There is also the Summer Institute at the start of each year which is an excellent way to bring teachers together from across the network to establish links with other teachers.”
Conclusion
Whether teaching at one of our bilingual or international schools, educators are part of a tightly connected network. This community encourages professional growth through ongoing professional opportunities, cross-campus mentoring, and sharing ideas and best practices.
For more information about teaching with BASIS International & Bilingual Schools, visit our careers website.
Take a virtual tour of our newest bilingual campus: BASIS Bilingual School Guangming Shenzhen
