Friday Institute visits China for
2007 US-China Conference on Literacy
Daily Online Journal
July 28, 2007
Submitted by: Kim Turner
I know that it might be cliché, but undoubtly, this has been the trip of a life time. I want to personally thank everyone at the Friday Institute and North Carolina State for making this opportunity possible.
This has been a bittersweet day. I return home with both a heavy heart and an enlightened mind, which to me is a sign successful trip. The end of our trip was marked by my favorite experience... The Great Wall of China.
The Great Wall is located about an hour’s drive northeast of the city of Beijing, yet it seems as if it is a world away from the bustle of the city. For the majority of the drive you are still surrounded by the vast urbanization of Beijing’s traffic and smog. However, as I was glancing out the window there was a moment when the city skyline was replaced by green mountainsides. In this moment it dawned on me that I was about to experience something truly majestic.
When we finally stopped and stepped off the bus, you could feel cool air with light breezes, which was much different than that of the stifling city's. You look up to the wall and are immediately taken back by the contrast between the masculine wall and feminine mountainside. I was overrun with excitement and anticipation. It felt reminiscent of Christmas mornings. I could not wait to begin our steep and precipitous climb to the top.
I am not going to attempt to be haughty; the climb was very difficult. However, when you are surrounded by thousands of people of all ages and ethnicities embarking on the same journey, the pain and tiresomeness of the climb is replaced by humility.
When you take a break to soak in the view of vast green mountains, the diverse and dedicated peoples, and the history of your surroundings; you begin to realize that you are experiencing something life altering. No words can give justice to the sensation you get when you have experienced something as inspiring as this in person.
July 27, 2007
Submitted by: Dave Frye
The conference sessions are over, and now is our chance to explore the sights and learn more about the Chinese culture. For a few of us, today began quite early - 4:00 am to be exact. Thats when a few members of our delegation traveled down to Tiananman Square to see the flag raising ceremony that takes place at sunrise. Apparently, more than 15,000 people attend the ceremony daily. The rest of us joined the exploration at 8:30 (a much more reasonable hour for some of us). Today's itinerary included visiting The Temple of Heaven, The Forbidden City, and Tiananman Square.
Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven which is both a public park and a temple complex that was built for the emperor so that he could come and pray for a good harvest. As we entered the park, we saw people doing their morning exercises. In China, morning exercise takes many forms: Tai Chi, ballroom dancing, some sort of paddle ball game, shouting, and calligraphy practice, most of which is done in large groups in public parks. Not exactly something you'd see in Raleigh.
After walking through the entrance area, we explored the Temple - a circular, multi-tiered building covered in blue tiles. The blue tiles symbolize heaven. Not a single nail was used in the construction of the temple, instead, four large pillars called the Dragon Fountain Pillars support the top tier roof, 12 more columns support the second tier roof, and these columns symbolize the twelve divisions of the day, and an outer ring of twelve columns, symbolizing the twelve months of the year, support the third tier roof. We also stood on the top of the Altar of Heaven which is a three tiered stone terrace. At the very center of the top is a stone that was thought by the Chinese to be the center of China and the world (because China was the center of the world) and was the holiest spot in China. It was certainly an interesting view into one aspect of imperial China.
After lunch, we were taken to the Forbidden City, and the City didn't disappoint. Some of the halls were under heavy renovation as part of Beijing's preparations for the 2008 Olympics, but it didn't detract from the overwhelming sense we felt while walking through the huge expanse of the courtyards, or imaging what it would have been like to have tens of thousands of people working and living there on a daily basis. It is hard to fathom how the emperor would live in a place that was totally oriented around his status as the Son of Heaven. There were rooms that he would use only once in his life. The level of architectural detail was stunning, and the vistas of open courtyards bordered by rooflines layered on top of rooflines was breathtaking. Interestingly, such a place of beauty and majesty had very little greenery even in the private residential gardens. This was a theme that continued throughout the day.
After walking through the Forbidden City, we emerged just across the street from Tiananmen Square, appearing in the now famous archway under the Chairman Mao portrait. Tiananman Square is a vast expanse of pavement, constructed to hold a gathering of one million people. Even with only a few thousand people present, the square was a sight to behold. The powerful statement of 'the people's' Tiananman adjacent to the once forbidden imperial palace is a living example of just one of the many culture clashes existing in China today.
The day ended on a much lighter note with the Peking Opera - a demonstration of chinese 'fine arts' (as stated by the emcee). It included a combination of dancing, singing, acrobatics, and martial arts and ended with a grand finale that included five people juggling, throwing, and kicking spears to each other. The precision and skill demonstrated by the actors in the show made for an enjoyable close to today's exploration into Chinese culture.
July 26, 2007
Submitted by: Jennifer Mangrum
Today the US delegation visited two of Beijing's finest educational facilities, RYB-CE International Kindergarten and The Juren School. It is evident that the Chinese value education and put a great deal of emphasis on the study of the English language. Both of these facilities are private institutions and are quite expensive. We were told that the average Chinese family uses 10% of their family income to educate their child. These two institutions believe in child-centered learning and offer curriculum that meets the needs of the whole child. They both believe that children should be engaged in happy learning.
RYB-CE International Kindergarten had a beautiful 46,000 square foot campus. The schoolyard had a track, a water-feature, a rabbit bungalow and an amazing playground that would excite any child! As we entered the building we saw child-friendly architecture and children's art was everywhere. The staircase was a bright blue and yellow and each step had a picture of a different animal and the English spelling of the word. These students are ages 0-6 and half of each day is devoted to learning the English language. Several delegates noted how cheery, colorful and child-friendly the environment was. After sitting in wee little chairs, we observed a class of 3 and 4 year olds practicing Chinese vocabulary by talking about their magic shoes. The class had 14 children and 4 teachers, two Chinese teachers and two to teach English. The school philosophy is that children learn best through play. The children were absolutely adorable as they played in their magic shoes, marching, flying and even rolling around on the floor. Afterwards we toured the classrooms and observed students in creative writing. When they were finished they gave us their wonderful artwork!
The Juren School is an extracurricular program founded in 1994. It is a private tutoring institution that offers classes and one-on-one tutoring in all subject areas, including English for grades 1-12. Classes are offered after school and on weekends. According to the Vice President, Ms. Melissa Qi, they may have 20,000 Beijing students on any given Saturday, taking courses. In 2007 they trained 2 million students. In addition to classes and tutoring, the organization offers summer and winter camps and a program they call Foreign Dad and Foreign Mom. The camps are similar to those in America, however the main focus is learning the English language. It would be interesting to send NCSU students to these camps in the summer. Our NCSU students would gain a larger worldview and the Chinese students would have access to great role models for the English language and culture. The Foreign Dad and Mom program is quite unique. The institution leases an expensive living area and equips it with two foreign language teachers, one male and one female. These "parents" look after the children and immerse them in the English language after school hours and during school vacations. There are 15 students and one assistant for each of the parents.
We appreciated the hospitality of both schools and especially the opportunity to visit with some of China's youngest learners.
July 25, 2007
Submitted by: Brian Bouterse
Continuing our discussion on the third day of the conference, I had the chance to attend several excellent sessions centered on English as a second language (ESL) literacy. Dr. Zhu Jiacun, professor of Education at An Hui Normal University, explained the current culture and practices of English teaching to kindergarten-aged students. English is extremely important to the Chinese, and polls indicate 90% of parents feeling English should be taught within kindergarten. Currently, English is taught for 45 minutes a day in kindergarten, and 6 hours are spent on Sunday attending a special English as a second language extracurricular program. Dr. Jiacun also identified the difficulty of teaching ESL in China because of the non-immersive language environment. Dr. Jiacun's American counterpart, Dr. Desmonette Hazly went on to explain her attempt to solve the language immersion problem using a pedagogy whereby food is used to create conversations with ESL students. Immersing the students in supermarkets, and encouraging a self-paced interaction with native English speakers, students are fully immersed, and their formal English study is well complimented.
After the sessions were completed, the conference was closed with a final keynote delivered by Rutgers University english department chair, Dr. Richard Miller. Entitled, Writing Without a Net, Miller argues for the avoidance of distracting technologies such as e-mail and the Internet to act as a net, catching most of the focus of "the student." Remarking on the power of silence and personal, critical thought as a vehicle for original thinking, Miller argues for pedagogy amidst a hyper-connected learners he titled, Reading in Slow Motion. Simply put, if one covers less ground, and spends more quiet time evaluating what has been covered, we will avoid a workforce who's attention and thought capacity is, "a mile wide and an inch deep."
Leaving the walls of Beijing Normal University, I reflected on the appropriateness of an international conference on literacy through a quote from earlier today:
"There can be no reading or teaching of the word that isn't also a reading or teaching of the world" -- Friere & Macedo.
July 24, 2007
Submitted by: Lodge McCammon
We arose to the sound of intellectual gunfire as we began our day at 8:30 with our bus ride to the concurrent sessions at Beijing Normal University. Our presentation was first out of the gate and worries about having the correct technology in the room were alleviated quickly as we realized that the accommodations were similar to the technologically-enhanced rooms in Poe hall.
For our presentation the FI team created a subtitled video instead of talking about our study. This proved to be a wise decision for a 9am session... when still feeling the effects of jetlag and modified diets.
The other presentations in our strand dealt with how China is currently dealing with the global technological phenomenon and obsession that is captivating their students. Much of the focus was around the use of the Internet and basic tools to increase achievement, creativity, and critical analysis. It was clear that we have quite a bit to offer the Chinese policy-makers, teachers, and students in terms of how to implement educational innovation. Likewise, they have much to offer us as their school systems hold on to student-teacher levels of respect that would be envied by any educator in the US.
Potential FI - China partnerships prove to be an interesting possibility. On the first day of the conference a few teachers and researchers presented a music-based project where they are using songs to help Chinese elementary school students learn English. Today we had a chance to engage these teachers and their principal to discuss possible partnerships where the fi might create some music-based curriculum, deliver it to Chinese schools, and connect Chinese classrooms with US classrooms that are using those same songs.
Watch a discussion about the Chinese music-based curriculum and a performance by Chinese students below:
July 22, 2007
Submitted by: Hiller Spires
After traveling approximately 18 hours by plane, our 7-person delegation from the College of Education and the Friday Institute arrived safely in Beijing on Saturday, July 21, 2007. The group is attending the China/US Conference on Literacy. The goal of the conference is to share research and best practices among literacy educators and to create partnerships among institutions and educators that can be sustained after the conference ends.
We spent our first day absorbing snippets of China's rich history and culture by visiting the Summer Palace. The Palace is a large park area surrounded by water and majestic buildings that served as summer homes for the empirical families, prior to 1911, when the Qing Dynasty ended. We also visited a silk farm and witnessed the intricate process of silk making, which is a major industry in China.
China is the most populous country in the world with more than 1.3 billion people, about 20% of the world's total population. Rich in history and culture, China is experiencing exponential economic and social change and exploding commerce. As we drove through Beijing, we were struck by the contrasts of modernization with images of ancient China. Many bikes filled the streets along side cars and trucks. We were surprised to see both men and women dressed in their professional attire riding bikes to their workplaces.
The first day of the 2007 China-US Conference on Literacy began with the playing of the national anthems of the US and of the People's Republic of China, followed by opening remarks by Professor Zhang Bingxian, Dean of the School of Education at Beijing Normal University and He Jian, Director of China International Center for Science and Technology. Next we received an explanation of how teachers are using music in their classes as a strategy to help primary school students learn English. We were delighted by performances from immaculately groomed students attending Jingtai Primary School, who sang "If You're Happy and You Know It," and "It's a Small World After All." The students masterfully transformed their teacher's music learning theory into action as they warmed our hearts with their musical effort and spirit. We spent the rest of the day listening to presentations and talking to our educational counterparts to find areas of mutual interest in literacy education.
If you go to YouTube.com and search for "Did you know" you will find a short video which provides a host of facts about the changing face of China.
Tomorrow we begin our day at Beijing Normal University.
Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven which is both a public park and a temple complex that was built for the emperor so that he could come and pray for a good harvest. As we entered the park, we saw people doing their morning exercises. In China, morning exercise takes many forms: Tai Chi, ballroom dancing, some sort of paddle ball game, shouting, and calligraphy practice, most of which is done in large groups in public parks. Not exactly something you'd see in Raleigh. 
After lunch, we were taken to the Forbidden City, and the City didn't disappoint. Some of the halls were under heavy renovation as part of Beijing's preparations for the 2008 Olympics, but it didn't detract from the overwhelming sense we felt while walking through the huge expanse of the courtyards, or imaging what it would have been like to have tens of thousands of people working and living there on a daily basis. It is hard to fathom how the emperor would live in a place that was totally oriented around his status as the Son of Heaven. There were rooms that he would use only once in his life. The level of architectural detail was stunning, and the vistas of open courtyards bordered by rooflines layered on top of rooflines was breathtaking. Interestingly, such a place of beauty and majesty had very little greenery even in the private residential gardens. This was a theme that continued throughout the day. 
We were told that the average Chinese family uses 10% of their family income to educate their child. These two institutions believe in child-centered learning and offer curriculum that meets the needs of the whole child. They both believe that children should be engaged in happy learning. 
The class had 14 children and 4 teachers, two Chinese teachers and two to teach English. The school philosophy is that children learn best through play. The children were absolutely adorable as they played in their magic shoes, marching, flying and even rolling around on the floor. Afterwards we toured the classrooms and observed students in creative writing. When they were finished they gave us their wonderful artwork! 
Dr. Jiacun also identified the difficulty of teaching ESL in China because of the non-immersive language environment. Dr. Jiacun's American counterpart, Dr. Desmonette Hazly went on to explain her attempt to solve the language immersion problem using a pedagogy whereby food is used to create conversations with ESL students. Immersing the students in supermarkets, and encouraging a self-paced interaction with native English speakers, students are fully immersed, and their formal English study is well complimented.
The other presentations in our strand dealt with how China is currently dealing with the global technological phenomenon and obsession that is captivating their students. Much of the focus was around the use of the Internet and basic tools to increase achievement, creativity, and critical analysis. It was clear that we have quite a bit to offer the Chinese policy-makers, teachers, and students in terms of how to implement educational innovation. Likewise, they have much to offer us as their school systems hold on to student-teacher levels of respect that would be envied by any educator in the US.
After traveling approximately 18 hours by plane, our 7-person delegation from the College of Education and the Friday Institute arrived safely in Beijing on Saturday, July 21, 2007. The group is attending the China/US Conference on Literacy. The goal of the conference is to share research and best practices among literacy educators and to create partnerships among institutions and educators that can be sustained after the conference ends.
The first day of the 2007 China-US Conference on Literacy began with the playing of the national anthems of the US and of the People's Republic of China, followed by opening remarks by Professor Zhang Bingxian, Dean of the School of Education at Beijing Normal University and He Jian, Director of China International Center for Science and Technology. Next we received an explanation of how teachers are using music in their classes as a strategy to help primary school students learn English. We were delighted by performances from immaculately groomed students attending Jingtai Primary School, who sang "If You're Happy and You Know It," and "It's a Small World After All." The students masterfully transformed their teacher's music learning theory into action as they warmed our hearts with their musical effort and spirit. We spent the rest of the day listening to presentations and talking to our educational counterparts to find areas of mutual interest in literacy education.
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