BSB Teacher at MIT Professional Development Week

Mrs. Shahida Kandhai, our Secondary Science Teacher just came back from the MIT Professional Development Week at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), U.S.A!

We are excited that annual trips to MIT for BSB students and teachers have resumed this year! These trips are part of the MIT-Nord Anglia STEAM Programme that is unique to BSB Shunyi and Nord Anglia Education (NAE) schools. Our STEAM curriculum is designed in collaboration with MIT and students participate in exciting challenges created by MIT professors throughout the year. Students also participate in MIT Abstracts which are live webinars presented by PhD students at MIT who are conducting cutting-edge research in their chosen field of study.

Let’s now hear from Shahida about her trip to MIT.

Shahida Kandhai

BSB Shunyi Secondary Science Teacher, STEAM and Global Campus Secondary Lead

“The MIT Professional Development Week for NAE teachers took place from June 12 - June 16, 2023. The week consisted of five action-packed days full of workshops, tours and hands-on project work, lectures and games for the NAE teachers attending. We experienced the rich MIT culture, people and "men et manus" (mind and hand) ethos that guides teaching and learning at MIT.

There are many wonderful opportunities for me to connect and collaborate with MIT professors and graduate students who are undertaking cutting edge research. Some of them were actually responsible for developing the MIT Challenges that our students participated in the past and some will be feature in next year’s challenges. It’s good to finally meet them in person! 

I’ve also had the chance to work together with around 70 colleagues from NAE schools across the globe and met with the staff who are responsible for the NAE-MIT collaboration that we regularly email.

I have returned to BSB Shunyi equipped with a deeper understanding of the collaboration and infinite possibilities for adapting the MIT materials for all our students and staff. I am looking forward to sharing all that I have gained for the PD week in the new academic year.”

Shahida (left) met with Professor Yamashita who curated the "Cellfie Life Challenge" for our students which was to explore how cells with the same instructions do different things.

Abby and Shahida (right) in front of the iconic MIT dome building. Abby is one of the "Curiosity Correspondence" and also hosts "Ask MIT"

Shahida (middle) met with Fatima (left) who is currently doing her PHD at MIT and hosting the "MIT Abstracts". Rahi (right) is one of the "Curiosity Correspondence" and hosts the "MIT Home Labs". He is super funny in his videos and even funnier in person.

The group project that Shahida (left) created with her teammates.

(Photo on the left) This is a real-life version of one of the petals which makes up the flower-shaped star-shade used on space telescopes which is currently used by NASA scientists to detect exoplanets.

About the MIT-Nord Anglia STEAM Programme

The MIT-Nord Anglia STEAM Programme is unique to BSB Shunyi and students in NAE schools. Our STEAM curriculum is designed in collaboration with MIT and our students participate in exciting challenges created by leading MIT professors throughout the year. Students also participate in MIT Abstracts which are live webinars presented by PhD students at MIT who are conducting cutting-edge research in their chosen field of study. Every year, selected students and teachers get to go to MIT to participate in learning trips. MIT provides excellent materials and resources to ensure our students can explore, have fun and be curious about the world around them.

2 BSB students making a trip to MIT!

Year 9 students Mario Wang and Moritz Theis Kuhnert will be heading to the MIT campus to participate in the MIT-Nord Anglia STEAM Experience in October 2023 exclusive for NAE students. Click to read here.

Please click to see our students' previous MIT Trip in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018!

2016 MIT Trip

2017 MIT Trip

2018 MIT Trip