Rufei from China
Rufei completed her MA in Education: International Perspectives in 2017. After a brief gap teaching in China, she returned to Newcastle and is currently finishing her PhD researching Chinese music curriculum.
About Rufei's career
Describe your current occupation:
My PhD research investigates the teaching of musicality under the Chinese national curriculum. I am exploring the implementation of Inquiry-Based Learning as a pedagogy in traditional Chinese primary music classrooms, and its potential impact on both teachers' abilities to teach musicality and children's development of musicality.
The learning environment is really inclusive, and the staff always made me feel cared for and respected.
Studying Education: International Perspectives at Newcastle University
What advice would you give to a student interested in studying Education: International Perspectives?
Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. The teaching staff are lovely and happy to help with any questions or concerns.
Also, try to take full advantage of the multicultural learning environment. There is so much potential to learn, not only from your tutors and lecturers but also from your peers.
What was the best thing about studying Education at Newcastle?
The learning environment is really inclusive, and the staff always made me feel cared for and respected. I also really enjoyed expanding my views on Education to an international level.
What led you to go into further study?
After graduating from this programme, I went back to China and started my career as a primary school music teacher. Reflecting on what I learned at Newcastle, I couldn't help but notice a disparity between the Chinese national curriculum and the actual teaching experience.
I felt that learning music should be a lot more enjoyable for children than it was, and that inspired me to start my current research.
How has studying Education: International Perspectives helped you in your current or future career?
My studies in Education International Perspectives laid the foundation for my PhD. I learnt essential research skills and developed specialist knowledge, but most importantly, it helped me to gain self-confidence.