Yunnan University team aids student sports, arts education

Members of the Yunnan University Sports and Arts Education Promotion Team pose for a group photo at Jino Township Central Primary School. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

A total of 12 members from the Yunnan University Sports and Arts Education Promotion Team visited Jino Township Central Primary School in Jinghong city – in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, in Southwest China's Yunnan province – on Dec 15.

They brought with them engaging music, physical education and art courses to teach over 300 local primary school students there.

Jino township is the dwelling place of the Jino ethnic group, known for its rich traditional folk skills and the ability of the local residents to sing and dance. Over 91 percent of the students in the primary school are from the Jino ethnic group.

In collaboration with the Jinghong bureau of education and sports, the team tailored eight distinctive courses in music, physical education and art based on the characteristics and ages of those in the primary school.

The art group integrated ethnic features with traditional culture – guiding students in creating prints, sculptures with super-light clay and paper cutting – using elements from Xishuangbanna's tropical flowers to stimulate their creativity.

The music group – considering the characteristics of local ecological folk songs – reinforced basic theoretical know-how in such areas as Kodály hand gestures.

Local students learn about music scales. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The physical education group incorporated Jino ethnic traditional sports characteristics into modern sports. Through teaching activities like double-dutch jump ropes, basketball dribbling relays and soccer, team members guided the children to experience the joys of physical activity.

After the classes concluded, the students expressed their approval. "We had a lot of fun in class and learned new things," one said. "We look forward to the teachers coming to Jino again."