08-16-2006, 05:24 AM
BRINGINING CHINA TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS
http://www.aasianst.org/EAA/wood.htm
Starting in 1985, I instigated negotiations to attract a teacher for the Chinese language and literature courses. Believing that a person from the Peopleâs Republic of China would have the greatest cross cultural value, I enlisted the aid of a Shanghai graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. It was important that this person have extensive connections within the Shanghai middle school community. The graduate student identified three appropriate middle schools. We then solicited one nominee from each of the Chinese schools for the Shady Side language and literature courses. From those three applications, we selected an experienced female teacher of English at the Shanghai Number Three Girls School (see note1). We believed this woman, because she was a high school English teacher, could deal effectively with teenage students and be experienced in foreign language teaching techniques. We arranged for this teacher to come to the United States on a J-1 visa through the United States Information Agency Exchange Visitor Program (see note 2). Three Shady Side families served as hosts to the teacher during the first year. The school provided meals and housing in subsequent years. The Shady Side Benedum Foundation (a private fund devoted to faculty study projects and visiting scholar financial support) funded airplane travel and a minimal stipend during the first year. Compensation from the regular school budget gradually replaced Benedum funds, resulting in a permanent teaching slot for a teacher of Chinese language and literature.
During the initial years of this program, the Chinese teacher and I consistently visited and contributed to each otherâs classes in order to establish firm interdisciplinary connections. For teaching Chinese language we adopted the Pinyin version of Princeton Universityâs Chinese Primer. In addition to participating as a regular student, I presented a lecture which treated the following issues: oracle bones and the origins of Chinese language; differences between Mandarin and other dialects and the geographic/historical implications; Chinese language as a unifying force in Chinese history. The Chinese literature course included the analysis of widely varying materials: selections from Sima Qianâs Historical Records; various poems by Du Fu (Tu Fu), Li Bai (Li Po), and Wang Wei; portions of some novels, e.g., Journey To The West; one complete novel, Family; and a number of choices from Short Stories Of Chinese Contemporary Writers. As with the language course, I regularly attended the literature class, developing a lecture which attempted to place the study of Chinese literature within a framework meaningful for American students. Topics covered included the following: two thousand years of Chinese literature . . .what is comparable for America?; importance of Chinese religion and imported religions for understanding Chinese literature; and problems posed by studying translated works.
Our new Chinese teacher attended my history course and participated by answering questions during daily class discussions and after films. She taught an introduction to the Chinese language and joined me in leading small discussion groups whenever students read different books, e.g., Born Red and Son Of The Revolution. Therefore, we were familiar with each otherâs pedagogy and classroom materials and were able to capitalize on connections between Chinese history, language, and literature.
http://www.aasianst.org/EAA/wood.htm
Starting in 1985, I instigated negotiations to attract a teacher for the Chinese language and literature courses. Believing that a person from the Peopleâs Republic of China would have the greatest cross cultural value, I enlisted the aid of a Shanghai graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. It was important that this person have extensive connections within the Shanghai middle school community. The graduate student identified three appropriate middle schools. We then solicited one nominee from each of the Chinese schools for the Shady Side language and literature courses. From those three applications, we selected an experienced female teacher of English at the Shanghai Number Three Girls School (see note1). We believed this woman, because she was a high school English teacher, could deal effectively with teenage students and be experienced in foreign language teaching techniques. We arranged for this teacher to come to the United States on a J-1 visa through the United States Information Agency Exchange Visitor Program (see note 2). Three Shady Side families served as hosts to the teacher during the first year. The school provided meals and housing in subsequent years. The Shady Side Benedum Foundation (a private fund devoted to faculty study projects and visiting scholar financial support) funded airplane travel and a minimal stipend during the first year. Compensation from the regular school budget gradually replaced Benedum funds, resulting in a permanent teaching slot for a teacher of Chinese language and literature.
During the initial years of this program, the Chinese teacher and I consistently visited and contributed to each otherâs classes in order to establish firm interdisciplinary connections. For teaching Chinese language we adopted the Pinyin version of Princeton Universityâs Chinese Primer. In addition to participating as a regular student, I presented a lecture which treated the following issues: oracle bones and the origins of Chinese language; differences between Mandarin and other dialects and the geographic/historical implications; Chinese language as a unifying force in Chinese history. The Chinese literature course included the analysis of widely varying materials: selections from Sima Qianâs Historical Records; various poems by Du Fu (Tu Fu), Li Bai (Li Po), and Wang Wei; portions of some novels, e.g., Journey To The West; one complete novel, Family; and a number of choices from Short Stories Of Chinese Contemporary Writers. As with the language course, I regularly attended the literature class, developing a lecture which attempted to place the study of Chinese literature within a framework meaningful for American students. Topics covered included the following: two thousand years of Chinese literature . . .what is comparable for America?; importance of Chinese religion and imported religions for understanding Chinese literature; and problems posed by studying translated works.
Our new Chinese teacher attended my history course and participated by answering questions during daily class discussions and after films. She taught an introduction to the Chinese language and joined me in leading small discussion groups whenever students read different books, e.g., Born Red and Son Of The Revolution. Therefore, we were familiar with each otherâs pedagogy and classroom materials and were able to capitalize on connections between Chinese history, language, and literature.