Pre-Departure Orientation for American Teachers
July 6-10, 2010

The Americans participants in the U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program met in West Point, NY, for a pre-departure orientation to help them prepare for their year in China. The six teachers and accompanying family members hail from locations across the U.S.: Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, and Washington state.

Program alumni, including two teachers who had returned from China less than two weeks earlier, Clare and Zach Sisisky, went to West Point to talk to the group about their experiences living and teaching in China through the Teachers Exchange Program. Yu Renqiu, professor of history, Purchase College, SUNY, gave the participants a quick but thorough tour of Chinese history and philosophy; Richard Belsky, professor of history, Hunter College, CUNY, spoke about human rights and legal reform as well as the “Burdens and Benefits of Being a Foreigner in China.” Another program alumna, Suzanne Petrilak, a New York City elementary school teacher who was in the inaugural group of American teachers in China fifteen years ago, gave two presentations on English as a Second Language teaching techniques useful for people unaccustomed to teaching English as a foreign language. The 2010-2011 participants include high school history, English, and science teachers, as well as a professional librarian. National Committee staff members Margot Landman and Sara Gavryck-Ji briefed the group on China’s education system and living in China. Each day of the orientation also included “survival Chinese” lessons given by Zhan Zhiying, a native of China who now teaches high school Chinese in Connecticut, to give the teachers a basic foundation in the language before they arrive in China. The jam-packed days started and ended the traditional Chinese martial art, taijiquan, taught by master Yet Soon Jung.

The orientation concluded with a banquet dinner at a Sichuan restaurant in New York City. Excited about the year to come, the teachers returned home; they will leave for China in August.

• I always feel fortunate to be here in Tulsa. Everyone is so kind to me! I am very well taken care of here. I've already made several friends. They treat me as a family member. I think when I go back to China, I'll bring back not only knowledge but also a heart filled with love. I like my students, and appreciate their efforts and progress in learning Chinese. The principal is also learning Chinese from me. I am enjoying my time here very much and will try my best to repay everyone for their kindness and friendship.”
  --Wang Youhua, Bishop Kelley High School, OK
• “The highlights seem to be unending. New places and experiences have become the norm. What a year! At our last English Corner meeting, the students decided they wanted to give me a real Chinese name. We came up with Wang Mingzhen. Mingzhen means dreams come true – that’s largely what teaching in China has been to me.”
  -- Christine Walderhaug, Suzhou No. 10 Middle School, Jiangsu
• “Thank you for your program. The exchange teacher we received, Mr. Fu was a wonderful teacher… Not only did he teach, he brought with him a lot of materials and programs which we will benefit from for years in the future. The students and all the teachers really liked him and have enjoyed being with him for the past year. Mr. Fu is truly a wonderful teacher and deserves recognition. I am very happy to have worked with him, and I have learned a lot from him too. I will be very pleased if we can work with other exchange teachers from this program next year.”
  -- Tianya Zhao, Chinese Teacher, Milwaukee School of Languages, WI
• "...[T]his was definitely one of the most educational, rewarding, and fulfilling experiences of my life so far. I wish more people would take the opportunity and the benefits from such an experience."
  -- Adrienne Fazzolara, Beijing Foreign Services Vocational Senior High School, Beijing
• "...I have taught a different type of student and worked with a different type of faculty...All these helped me to get a better understanding of America, its history, its culture, its school system, and its people."
  -- Dong Shuhua, Kearsarge Regional High School, NH
• “I had a wonderful year working here, and did learn a lot from the teachers. Their culture and their spirit is a great treasure for me to take back.”
  -- Xu Miaomiao, John Stark Regional High School, NH
• “My teaching experience is excellent. Working together with the Chinese teachers on curriculum based instruction is working well for everyone involved, especially the students (the ones who count the most). I wish I could do this for several more years.”
  -- Frank Colletti, Beijing No. 14 Middle School, Beijing
• “My American colleagues have come back from China invigorated. For a year at least they have been loved, admired, and respected. They have not only brought back more information and understanding of China into the classroom, but they more critically examine what they teach, how they teach, what should change, and appreciate more the very best things in American education. After all, learning and teaching are not one way streets. The better teachers are better because they are always learning, they take risks, and they constantly question themselves as well as their students.”
  -- Bill Bronski, Dalian No. 23 Middle School, Liaoning and Yangzhou Middle School, Jiangsu
• “I think the most wonderful part of our exchange program is that people build their friendship and a mature understanding on different cultures and begin to appreciate some of the differences. I do hope…more teachers will be able to have this great opportunity to explore new culture, new world and…friendship.”
  --Yang Haiyan, Belmont Public Schools, MA

The U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program is now in its thirteenth year. Established in 1996 with funding from the Freeman Foundation, the Teachers Exchange Program sends American K-12 teachers to China and brings Chinese secondary school teachers to the United States.

During the current school year, 10 Chinese teachers are teaching Chinese language and culture in the United States.

Since the program began, over 100 American teachers have taught in Chinese secondary schools, and approximately 250 Chinese teachers have taught in American elementary, middle, and high schools. The Chinese teachers typically spend a school year teaching Chinese language and culture or English as a second language in American schools across the country. The American teachers teach oral English in secondary schools in Chinese cities including Anqing, Beijing, Changzhou, Chengdu, Dalian, Hefei, Hohhot, Jiangdu, Luoyang, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Yangzhou. The exchange program provides the teachers a unique opportunity to improve their own language and teaching skills; deepen their understanding of another culture; and share new curriculum, pedagogy, and experiences in their home classrooms upon their return.

Exchange program director Margot E. Landman works with the Chinese Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), the program’s counterpart organization in China, to make the program possible. In addition to the teacher exchanges themselves, we organize conferences and workshops for current participants and program “alumni” in both countries to help them form networks and enable them to share curriculum and other information for their own classrooms and with their colleagues at their home schools and districts.

To receive an application, please write:

Teachers Exchange Program
National Committee on U.S.-China Relations
71 West 23rd Street, Suite 1901
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212-645-9677
Fax: 212-645-1695
tep@ncuscr.org

Completed applications must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2010

Davis Burbank taught at Anqing No. 1 Middle School in Anhui Province during the 2009-2010 school year. The photos of his students above show some of their work over the year.

I taught my students to make paper cranes and write their best wishes on them. This is what we usually do (in China) when we give regards to good friends. Or sometimes students make cranes for teachers.

Last Friday we had a Chinese character recognition competition as a celebration of the New Year. All the students who learn Chinese came and had a competition between different classes. It's fun. The students were excited but very well behaved. It's really a very good way to motivate them.

Pre-Departure Orientation Program
2010-2011 Chinese Teachers

Twelve Chinese pre-collegiate teachers of English gathered in Suzhou for an intensive training program from July 17 to July 22. Dr. Wu Wei-ling, a Chinese language teacher in New Jersey who previously taught English at the Shanghai Foreign Language School, convened sessions on many aspects of American education including an introduction to American K-12 schools and students, reflections on Chinese language programs in the United States, descriptions of American foreign language standards, guidance through American curriculum and lesson design, assessment, and more. She was joined by Teachers Exchange Program alumnus Richard Sanford (Dalian, 1997-98), whose sessions focused on the use of group activities in the classroom and keeping students engaged. Margot Landman, the Committee’s senior director for education programs, led a discussion of challenging questions the teachers were likely to encounter from Americans; she also spoke about the responsibilities of Chinese exchange teachers, and walked the teachers through practical matters related to international travel, living with host families, dealing with homesickness, and taking advantage of opportunities arising throughout the year. She emphasized the importance of asking questions; no one can read a teacher’s mind so if he/she is puzzled by something, it is critical to ask about it.

The intensity of the program was leavened by an evening sharing Chinese songs that teachers might use with their American students, learning how to make Chinese crafts from each other – very popular this year are traditional Chinese knots – and creating classroom decorations that make American students feel that they are in a Chinese environment as they study Chinese language and culture.

The teachers hail from ten cities around China: Beijing, Luoyang (Henan), Ma’anshan and Hefei (Anhui), Mianyang (Sichuan), Nanjing and Suzhou (Jiangsu), Qingdao (Shandong), Shenyang (Liaoning), and Xi’an (Shaanxi). They will go to six American states: Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.

Pre-Departure Orientation for American Teachers
July 6-10, 2010

The Americans participants in the U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program met in West Point, NY, for a pre-departure orientation to help them prepare for their year in China. The six teachers and accompanying family members hail from locations across the U.S.: Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, and Washington state.

Program alumni, including two teachers who had returned from China less than two weeks earlier, Clare and Zach Sisisky, went to West Point to talk to the group about their experiences living and teaching in China through the Teachers Exchange Program. Yu Renqiu, professor of history, Purchase College, SUNY, gave the participants a quick but thorough tour of Chinese history and philosophy; Richard Belsky, professor of history, Hunter College, CUNY, spoke about human rights and legal reform as well as the “Burdens and Benefits of Being a Foreigner in China.” Another program alumna, Suzanne Petrilak, a New York City elementary school teacher who was in the inaugural group of American teachers in China fifteen years ago, gave two presentations on English as a Second Language teaching techniques useful for people unaccustomed to teaching English as a foreign language. The 2010-2011 participants include high school history, English, and science teachers, as well as a professional librarian. National Committee staff members Margot Landman and Sara Gavryck-Ji briefed the group on China’s education system and living in China. Each day of the orientation also included “survival Chinese” lessons given by Zhan Zhiying, a native of China who now teaches high school Chinese in Connecticut, to give the teachers a basic foundation in the language before they arrive in China. The jam-packed days started and ended the traditional Chinese martial art, taijiquan, taught by master Yet Soon Jung.

The orientation concluded with a banquet dinner at a Sichuan restaurant in New York City. Excited about the year to come, the teachers returned home; they will leave for China in August.

Setting the goals and structures needed to develop a new Chinese curriculum can be a very difficult task. In order to aid those who are currently undertaking such a challenge, we have provided a sample framework, recently developed by Quincy Upper School in Boston, MA.

Follow the links below for curriculum structures for Mandarin levels 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In an effort to provide support for teachers of Chinese in the United States, the National Committee will post lesson plans created by Teachers Exchange Program participants. Lesson plans are divided between Chinese Language classes and Chinese Language and Culture classes. The first catergory focuses specifically on Mandarin Chinese, while the latter includes lesson plans that do not concentrate on language instruction. Follow the links below to find the lesson plan that best fits your curriculum.

The following books have been used by Teachers Exchange Program participants:

• Fangyuan Yuan, Advanced Business Chinese, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. (Bilingual Edition, ISBN 0300100507)
• Weiling Wu, Far East Chinese for Youth: Level 1, New York: U.S. International Publishing Inc., 2004. (Workbook Edition, ISBN 9576124964)
• Weiling Wu, Hailan Tsai, and Qing Yang, Far East Chinese for Youth: Level 2, New York: U.S. International Publishing Inc., 2002. (Student Edition, ISBN 9576124921)
• Yamin Ma & Xinying Li, Chinese Made Easy Textbook 1, Boston: Cheng & Tsui, 2002. (Book & CD edition, ISBN 9620420268)
Parent nodes
Program Minisite: U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program

I just came back from my school's interim trip to the Florida Keys with students and five chaperons. We did algae labs and a sailing boat trip in Key West. It is a very special experience to me. I like the interim trip because it is designed to be both fun and educational. It provides the students a chance to see and experience what they have learned.

Pan Huali taught at Saint Edward’s School in Vero Beach, FL during the 2009-10 school year.

The school is a great place on the weekends. Yes, there are classes taking place especially on Saturday but the campus around the school is very quiet and pleasant. Just outside the school gate, there are several million inhabitants of Anqing. The traffic here, just as any American city, is relentless and never ending. However, when one walks just inside the school grounds the entire atmosphere changes.

There are two main apartment buildings filled with mostly retired and some working teachers. We are on the top (5th) floor and are still getting use to the climb up to our apartment. These are typical government cement structures built a long time ago and are not too pretty from the outside. However, we have a very nice apartment with lots of room and all the modern conveniences.

You can imagine what kind of complex it takes to educate 4000+ students. This school is the size of a small US prep school. We have a huge science center, large administration building (1 principal, 4 vice principals), a huge sports complex, outdoor basketball and volleyball courts everywhere, several other classroom buildings, a large (two floors) cafeteria building serving three (tasty) meals a day and even some living quarters for many resident students.

This is the No.1 high school in the city and there are at least a dozen. The schools are ranked according to how many students pass the rigorous national exam each year (like an SAT) and go on to the university. Our school is almost (100% pass rate) and the students are quite serious.

Davis Burbank taught at Anqing No. 1 Middle School in Anhui Province during the 2009-10 school year.

Before I arrived in America, I heard varied opinions of American classes and kids. I felt really horrified when I thought that I had to face the challenges. It almost ruined my first ten days before the school started in Gilmore Academy. Anyhow things happened as they should happen.

The first class seemed not as bad as I had imagined many times before. Maybe they were curious about the new appearance from China. This is the third year for my Eighth Graders to learn Chinese. I tried to add something current happening in China besides the requested curriculum. The things which I couldn’t stand were that they can freely go to the bathroom, drink water, see the nurse and whatever. Actually I didn’t like to be interrupted while teaching, but it’s allowed in American classes. I had no choice but to adapt to it.

Here inside Gilmore Academy, what impressed me most was the Heritage Festival on October 24th. Actually it started on the night of October 23rd. It is said that more than four hundred parents, teachers and students gathered in the school cafeteria. As they tasted the real, international foods provided by school, they could also appreciate the posters presenting various food cultures from different countries. It’s a pity I was not present that night.

The next day, I was asked to help one of my homeroom teachers. I accompanied over ten students to walk around the second floor. On the door of each classroom, the signs showed the themes of their project through which to explore different cultures. Inside each classroom, you could see different posters, in front of each poster, there were two or more students ready to explain their posters. They were about different countries, fictional stories from all over the world, games from different countries, inventions, sports and music. The school schedule gave each group a certain time in each classroom, so you could spend time learning about their projects. I learnt a lot from what the kids had researched.

One girl told me about her picture, the ribbon indicated connection, link together, she hoped we would live in a global world; She drew doves to wish peaceful life; the cross she drew is because of her religion, she wishes the friends to be loyal, faithful to each other.

After that, some Chinese University students on an exchange program from Bridgewater State College came to see what’s going on in Gilmore Academy. The superintendent, Dr. Nembirkow, gave us a short speech. We were surprised to hear his colorful experiences and his broad view of the world. He told us the purpose of teaching nowadays is to educate the global citizens. That’s why Gilmore Academy held the Heritage Festival. They wanted the kids to know about the world. At last, he wished us a fruitful school year.

I do believe everybody learns a lot from the Heritage Festival, it influences us from different aspects. It promoted and celebrated international-mindedness. I look forward to experience more fresh things here.

I went to attend the teacher's conference held in White Mountains last weekend. It is called exploring art in the nature. It is so wonderful. Some artists, writers like Clare Walker, storytellers like Rebecca Rule, musicians, composers, dancers went to the Crawford North and taught art or music teachers in this area about new ways in applying art in education. I enjoyed it quite a lot. I went to the workshop of a Nigerian artist and worked for him as his assistant. He taught block printing and visual art. I am happy to help him and he gave me his work of art as a gift. I also went to a workshop to learn how to compose music from the nature. Actually I don't know how to compose music but I learn how to observe. So is in the keeping a natural journal workshop.

It is a pity that our Chinese students in my city are farther and farther away from the nature but closer to the computer games or TV or pursing higher scores and lost in exams. I think it is necessary for the teachers like me to get back to nature first and keep that in mind what is most important for our next generation. That is to create and to learn by themselves. Learning from and in the nature is a good inspiration for me from this conference.

I was so busy with the Chinese Spring Festival Program. We made it! It was a huge success. A lot parents came and quite enjoyed it; kids were happily involved and had fun dancing and singing difficult Chinese songs. The wonderful and efficient committee made over 1,000 dumplings for the whole school and parents to share.

Zhang Chunyan taught at the Academy of Accelerated Learning in Milwaukee, WI during the 2009-10 school year.

This afternoon I saw Santa Claus in one of the kindergarten classrooms at Hoover. Some of the kids were frightened and they cried. They were so cute! I took pictures with Santa. I like the Christmas decorations everywhere at this time of year.

Han Dongni taught at Hoover Elementary School in Tulsa, OK during the 2009-10 school year.

Today, I ate roast turkey in school! Last week, a girl student asked me to join their family party on Thanksgiving Day. I said" thanks" but refused because I had travel plans on that day. It was a pity that I missed a chance to taste her mother's roast turkey. Guess what? Today, her mother cooked a whole turkey and brought it to my classroom. So all of my students and I ate that turkey. That nice and hospitable lady offered me a chance to taste authentic American roast turkey.

Pan Huali taught at Saint Edward's School in Vero Beach, FL during the 2009-10 school year.

Li Yuepeng took a whirlwind tour of the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Las Vegas with his principal and host, Jerry Privett, over the Memorial Day weekend. They covered a distance of more than 2,500 miles in only three days!

Li Yuepeng taught at Irving Middle School in Norman, OK, during the 2009-10 school-year.

In December 2010 a group of teachers, students and parents from Saint Edward's School, Vero Beach, FL, visited Cao Wenjuan in Nanjing. They visited Cao Wenjuan’s school, Jinling Middle School and joined Cao Wenjuan and her family for dinner at their home.

Cao Wenjuan taught at Saint Edward’s School during the 2008-09 school year.

The Teachers Exchange Program published The Exchange three times annually from the program's inception during the 1996-97 school year through December 2003. We have since shifted to an electronic format. See below for several back issues.