Learning about culture helps children understand how communities live, celebrate, and pass down shared values.

At the American International School of Guangzhou, this kind of learning is woven into classroom experiences at all grade levels and shaped through connection with the local community. 

For example in Grade 3, students explore these ideas through their How We Organize Ourselves unit. They learn how traditions are organized, how they are sustained over time, and how festivals reflect the values of different communities.

Through partnerships with local community and culture partners, students take part in hands-on experiences that bring learning to life. When students engage with practices such as the Cantonese Lion Dance, they observe, ask questions, and participate–building understanding through shared experience.

These moments help students recognize that culture is created and carried by people. Traditions are learned through participation, storytelling, and practice, and they continue through connection between generations.

By experiencing culture in this way, students develop curiosity, respect, and a deeper awareness of the communities they belong to and those they encounter beyond school.

If this reflects how you want your child to experience learning, share it with another family.