On June 13, the child-friendly reading space "V+LIGHTHOUSE" jointly created by Zikawei Library, Xuhui Vanke Mall, and Victoria (China) Education Group, with the support of Shanghai Children's Foundation and Caohejing Street Community, and designed by Wutopia Lab, will officially open. This is the first time that Victoria (China) Education Group has entered a shopping mall to create a public welfare innovation space that integrates children's reading functions with the mall's member center.
On May 24, at Zikawei Library, Melanie Ng, the Executive Director of Victoria (China) Education Group, accepted an interview on the theme of "Illuminate the Lighthouse: Cultivating Children's Reading Habits and Constructing Reading Positions". The interview mainly focused on "why all parties chose to build a child-friendly lighthouse library in Xuhui Vanke Mall" and "what missions and functions the lighthouse library will undertake in the future." In the interview, Melanie Ng, the Executive Director of Victoria (China) Education Group, introduced:
How to cultivate children's reading habits under the wave of digitalization?
01
Attach Great Importance to Children's Early Reading
In Victoria, we attach great importance to children's reading, as cultivating reading interest and habits is of utmost importance for children aged 0-6. Under the wave of digitalization, parents indeed have a wealth of reading material options for their children, such as electronic books, audio books, and interactive ones. However, selecting books that are suitable for their children's age still requires professional guidance. For instance, in Victoria's kindergartens, we categorize books, and every week, children will have a book bag to borrow many books that match their age from the school library. These age-appropriate books can not only spark children's reading interest but also improve their reading abilities.
02
Fixed Reading Time and Diverse Reading Experiences Help Children Develop Good Reading Habits
Fixed reading time and diverse reading experiences are also crucial for cultivating children's reading habits. In Victoria, we have many reading-related activities. For instance, during the daily curriculum, children have their reading time. After lunch, teachers will read stories to them, guiding them to read and discuss together. We also regularly hold the "Victoria Reading Festival" to encourage children to read paper books. These activities help children develop good reading habits and make them look forward to the daily reading time.
03
Persist in Effective Parent-Child Reading
We encourage parents to set aside a daily parent-child reading time with their children. When parents are willing to read with their children, the children's enthusiasm for reading increases, as they perceive it as an activity that brings them closer to their parents, strengthening the parent-child bond while enhancing their reading interest and abilities. Parents can select books suitable for family reading and explore the storylines and characters with their children. As I know, many parents in Victoria adhere to an hour of daily parent-child reading with their children. Some parents have told me, "Melanie, I find that during our daily reading time, we discuss many topics, and I truly believe it is beneficial to my child's growth in various aspects."
Why is it crucial to uphold the construction of "child-prioritized" reading venues under the background of Shanghai's effort to build a "child-friendly city"?
Victoria was founded by my grandmother in 1965, and we opened our first campus in Shanghai in 1998. As we aspire to ensure that every aspect of our kindergartens is solidly executed, we have only established four kindergartens in Shanghai over the past 60 years. Many parents want their children to attend Victoria, but due to our limited class sizes, many children are unable to enroll. Therefore, I have always wanted to bring Victoria's excellent educational philosophy to more children and inspire more children to love reading.
It is a great honor to collaborate with the Zikawei Library to establish "V+LIGHTHOUSE" in Vanke Center. "V+LIGHTHOUSE" will provide diverse reading resources and activities for children across the city, catering to the reading needs of children of different ages. Its design and layout fully consider the characteristics of children, providing them with a comfortable, fun, and inspiring reading environment. Additionally, we have integrated Victoria's children's favorite "reading circle" into this reading space. Children aged 0-6 love to crawl inside this reading circle, feeling safe and spending extended periods of time reading, thus igniting their enthusiasm for reading.
For younger children, the placement of books is also well-considered. Books for younger children are placed on lower shelves with the covers facing outwards, allowing children to choose their own books. The chair design is also adjustable, facilitating better parent-child reading experiences. Furthermore, we will invite children to decorate the space with their own works, transforming it into a truly child-oriented space.
After its opening, the Victoria (China) Education Group will host activities in the "V+LIGHTHOUSE" every weekend, such as inviting experts on parent-child reading to teach parents how to effectively read with their children, "how to use picture books," and so on. I will also be there to teach children how to read in English.
As educators,
we sincerely hope that in the digital era,
children can still find the time
to read with their parents,
embarking on a journey
to find their own "lighthouse".
Life is like a ship sailing in the vast sea,
and the lighthouse is our only beacon.
