On Monday, 26^th October 2020, a group of Form 4 CCP Science students at St. Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala, Cospicua were introduced to the making of Chinese Porcelain. This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the China Corner at St. Margaret College and this school project was related to the student’s study unit about properties of materials.

Senior Science teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc who coordinated this project said, “The China Corner of our school serves as a Montessori method of teaching to help students learn scientific concepts and knowledge through application and hands on material. It is also a means of inculcating multiculturalism in education”.

The making of Chinese porcelain has a very long history which goes back to the Han dynasty (202 BC–220 AD). Antique pieces of Chinese porcelain are considered as national work of art in China. Chinese porcelain is made from various materials like glass, bone, ask, quartz and alabaster but the main ingredient is a white powder (clay mineral) called ‘kaolin’. The name kaolin derives from a small village in China called Gaoling which is situated nearby the porcelain city of Jingdezhen.

Normally in Western countries we refer to Chinese porcelain as ‘china’ and during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) large quantities of Chinese porcelain were exported through the maritime trade. If Chinese porcelain is made of kaolin, quartz and feldspar it can be extremely durable and last for many years.

The process required to make Chinese porcelain is a long and delicate one with dozens of steps required. It involves the crushing of the raw material, cleaning, mixing, forming the shape, bisque-firing (first-firing step), glazing and final firing.

In ancient China only small number of workshops could be ‘imperial kilns’ as they had to acquire the government consent before supplying pieces of porcelain to the Chinese imperial family. In fact the Chinese Imperial family was offered priority when buying the best items of Chinese porcelain and normally the making of porcelain required the mark of the emperor’s reign and dynasty.

The most famous city for porcelain making is Jingdezhen which is 400 km west of the ancient capital city of Hangzhou – the tea capital city. The porcelain city of Jingdezhen derives its name from the Song Dynasty Emperor Jingde for whom in the year 1004 AD fine bluish-white porcelain was produced.

At the end of this project students could admire some pieces of blue and white porcelain made in the city of Jingdezhen and observe its translucent material.

Teacher Martin Azzopardi and his students offer special thanksgivings to the Malta China Cultural Centre, the China Embassy in Malta and the Malta/Sino Friendship Society for their continuous help and support.

Researched by

St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala students: Shezdon Pisani, Celaine Said and Mariah Vella under the supervision of the Senior Science teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc.

St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala students: Shezdon Pisani, Celaine Said and Mariah Vella together with their teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc studying the making of Chinese Porcelain.

The CHINA CULTURE.ORG uploaded the China Corner article about Chinese Tea Culture

The prestigious CHINA CULTURE.ORG (national website of the China Ministry of Culture) offered a nice coverage to our recent China Corner Project article about Chinese Tea Culture.  

Kindly see the published article in the following link here please:

http://cccweb.chinaculture.org/portal/pubinfo/2020/11/11/200001003002001/5a93a00cdacd4182b9b8b762e2840b14.html  

This is surely another step to uplift our school ethos and stimulate more students to participate in further research projects. 

N.B. Special thanksgivings to Director of the Malta China Cultural Centre, Mr Yang Xiaolong and staff and to the China Embassy for Malta for all the help and support.

Application of scientific knowledge makes science more valuable at school and throughout my 25 year experience as a Science teacher I can admit that students can learn scientific knowledge faster if science is taught in an applied way. Teaching Science to Core Curriculum Programme (CCP) students is not easy and it entails more planning and thinking. One has to be very flexible and improvise various methods of teaching all the time. The application of scientific knowledge can be very effective to help our students memorize and understand more scientific concepts and theories which can sound abstract to them.

This progressive application of scientific knowledge is highlighted by Isaac Asimov in his book, ‘Chronology of science and discovery’ (originally published in 1989), which beautifully describes how science has shaped the world, from the discovery of fire until the 20th century.

In present day education it is highly important to seriously consider the application of science knowledge in education at all school levels; not just to engage more our students in curriculum and teach them about scientific knowledge, but crucially to provide them with a basic understanding of how science has shaped the world and human civilisation.

Schools need to become the most important application hub of science and our science students need to be involved in debate and decision-making about the fair and sustainable application of new technologies, which would help to address problems such as social inequality and the misuse of scientific discoveries. For example, as much as students should see a positive goal in the increase in welfare and life expectancy they should also be aware of the current problems of inequality relating to food supply and health resources.

So science education should not only address how we apply scientific knowledge to enhance our student’s memory and understanding of scientific concepts and theories but also how to improve the human wellbeing and condition of life.

Science education should be entirely at the service of human needs, and not just to pursue knowledge for its own sake. Science is not only necessary for humanity to succeed socially, environmentally and economically in both the short and the long term, but it is also the best tool available to satisfy the fundamental human thirst for knowledge, as well as to maintain and enhance the human cultural heritage, which is knowledge-based by definition.

Written by

Martin Azzopardi sdc

B.A. (Hons) Theol. & H.S., P.G.C.E., M.A. (melit.)

Senior Science teacher at St. Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala Cospicua.

St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala students: Sciberras Mikael and Zammit Caydon together with their Science teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc learning science through application of knowledge.

St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala students: Sciberras Mikael and Zammit Caydon together with their Science teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc learning science through application of knowledge.

St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala students: Sciberras Mikael and Zammit Caydon together with their Science teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc learning science through application of knowledge.

The name of our school is mentioned once again on XinhuaNet News as they offer a brief coverage to the three oldest books about China found at the National Bibliotheca of Malta.

See the link here please: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-09/12/c_139363600.htm

Article 2020 -The three oldest books about China found in the National Bibliotheca of Malta by Martin Azzopardi sdc

On Monday, June 15th, the popular China newspaper; People’s Daily News mentioned the 10th anniversary of the Science/China Corner of St. Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala, Cospicua, Malta.

Click here to see the article.

The official cultural magazine of the China Ministry of Culture and Tourism called: 中外文化交流 – China and the World Cultural Exchange, had the pleasure to publish our school article on the 10th anniversary of the Science/China Corner of St. Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala, Cospicua, Malta.

See the published article on the link here:
http://cn.chinaculture.org/portal/site/wenhua/mag/cn/2020/m_4/mobile/index.html#p=62

The Science/China Corner of St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala, Cospicua was founded by Senior Science teacher Mr Martin Azzopardi sdc in 2010 following his first visit to China.

“I always loved China and its long history and culture since childhood but following my first visit to China in 2010 I returned back to Malta with so much interest and love for Chinese culture that I wanted to share this interest of mine with all my Science students” says teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc.

The Science/China corner was founded by teacher Mr Martin Azzopardi sdc in collaboration with the Malta China Cultural Centre and with the blessing of the Ministry of Education. It was founded as a Montessori Method of teaching Science with the aim of introducing Chinese culture, science and technology to Maltese students. This method surely enhances the multicultural aspect in students and leads them to develop more interest in research and reading particularly about China – a country with a long rich history of achievements especially in the Science and Technology field.

This year marks the 10th anniversary since the foundation of the Science/China Corner and throughout these years many students have benefitted from various Science and Technology research study projects in link with Chinese culture. Throughout these 10 years students did various research studies about various themes like: Making of Chinese Porcelain and Pottery, Healthy Benefits of Chinese Tea, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Invention of Chinese Fans, Making of Silk in China, Invention of Paper in China, China’s Advancements in Robotics, Technique of Glass Painting and Decoration in China, Bronze Making in China, Advancements in Sensor Production in China, Making of Chinese Vases, Making of Chinese Cloisonne, Making of Dolls in China, Technique used in Jade Sculpting in China, Making of Paper Umbrellas, Paper Cutting in China, China’s Advancements in Textile Making,  Construction of the Great Wall in China, Earthquake Resistant Building in China, and many other research theme projects. Then each year these Science/China research study projects are presented by students at the MCCC in full collaboration with the MCCC Director and staff and the China Embassy of Malta.

Throughout these 10 years, the Science/China Corner of St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala, Cospicua managed also to offer students different lectures about China and involve them in various Chinese workshops, events and activities helping them to create a bridge between the scientific knowledge field and Chinese Culture, Science & Technology.

In October 2019, the  Foreign and European Affairs Minister Mr Evarist Bartolo, then responsible for Education, said the following words about the Science/China Corner: “A good initiative that brings people, cultures and countries together, thanks a real lot for this work”.

In December 2019, H.E. the Chinese Ambassador for Malta, Mr Jiang Jiang, on being interviewed by two students from St. Margaret College commented:

“Before I came to Malta I already knew about the foundation of the China Corner at St. Margaret College and every year I am impressed with the deep research studies done by St. Margaret College students linking the Science field with Chinese culture and technologies. This is a very good idea.”

In February 2019, the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Korea, Director of China Cultural Centre in Seoul / Representative of   China Tourism Office in Seoul, Mr Wang Yanjun, then Director of the Malta China Cultural Centre, on being interviewed by three students from St. Margaret College added:

 “Here I must express my sincere thanks to Mr Martin Azzopardi for coming up with the idea of founding the China Corner in the Science Department of St. Margaret College in 2010. This is one of the best ways to help students get in touch with Chinese culture via the Science and Technology field. It is also something permanent which can help to cultivate appreciation for Chinese culture amongst Maltese students throughout the scholastic year. Every year I am impressed by the research studies held by your students, linking Science knowledge & technology with Chinese culture. I can say that I myself have learnt lots from these research study projects, presented by your students under the supervision of their teacher Martin Azzopardi. Please keep it up”.

In January 2020, the Director of the Malta China Cultural Centre, Mr Yang Xiaolong wrote saying:

“It is a lovely initiative; both you (Mr Martin) and your students are great! Highly appreciate your efforts to promote bilateral understanding and friendship between Malta and China”.

In March 2020, H.E. the now ex-Chinese Ambassador for Malta, Mr Cai Jinbiao wrote saying:

“It brings back a lot of happy memories. Congratulations again for a job well done and wishing you greater success in the coming years. Thank you”.

In March 2020, the President of the Malta-Sino Friendship Society, Mr Reno Calleja added:

“I congratulate with Mr Martin Azzopardi for this initiative which surely shows his continuous commitment towards education and Chinese culture”.

In March 2020, the  Education Minister Dr Owen Bonnici, wrote saying:“Just looking at all this prestigious work done on the Science/China corner throughout these last 10 years, I tend to say VERY WELL DONE and KEEP IT UP. Such an initiative is surely a catalyst for our Maltese students in enhancing their multicultural aspect and induce in them more love for study research. It is also an opportunity for our students to be young ambassadors between Malta and China. YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT.”

Finally BIG thanks go to the MCCC and the China Embassy for all their HELP, APPRECIATION and SUPPORT throughout these 10 years since the foundation of the Science/China Corner at St. Margaret College, much appreciated. Special thanks go to MCCC Directors:  Mr Gu Hongxing, Mr Wang Yanjun and Mr Yang Xiaolong and staff. Big thanks also to H.E. the Chinese Ambassador Mr Cai Jinbiao and to H.E. the Chinese Ambassador Mr Jiang Jiang and Embassy staff.

Article written by

Mr Martin Azzopardi sdc

B.A. (Hons) Theol. & Human Studies, P.G.C.E., M.A. (Melit.)

Senior Teacher

Science Department

St. Margaret College

Secondary School,

Verdala,

Cospicua,

Malta

and

Deputy President

of the M.A.S.C.

Faculty of Theology

University of Malta

and

Dissertation Supervisor

Institute for Education

Malta.

Addendum:

Mr Azzopardi has been serving as a teacher in St. Margaret College for these last 25 years. St. Margaret College Secondary School was the Ex-Royal Navy School of Malta and then it became a state Grammar School for boys under the name of Giuseppe Despott Boys Junior Lyceum, Verdala, Cospicua. Since the comprehensive system was adopted in Malta, the name of the school changed to that of St. Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala, Cospicua with an intake of around 450 students with mixed abilities as the grammar school system was abolished from Malta. Then when segregation was abolished too from the educational state sector, St. Margaret College adopted the mixed gender education system or co-ed system and it was split into a Middle School (11-12 year old students) and a Secondary School (13-15 year old students).