My Professional Profile

I was born in Shanghai, China, and graduated from the Department of English and Literature at Suzhou University. In 1993, I came to the United States for further education and earned my Master's degree in special education in 1997. I also did graduate work at Morgan State University in International Studies.

I have been teaching special education for 12 years in the Baltimore City Public School System at K-8 levels. In 2007 I joined a group of founders of a charter school--Baltimore International Academy to set up the school and I established the Chinese Immersion program. I have developed many educational and cultural activities both in the school setting and the regional area. I developed and wrote application for candidacy of PYP International Baccalaureate for Baltimore International Academy.

I have coordinated a program between Howard Community College and Suzhou University in China to build partnerships, serving as Director of Study China program. I have had three successful educational tours to China with participants who are from different regions in the United States.

I am a certified Chinese AP Reader of College Board. I teach for the Startalk program in summers. I was invited by the Arabic and Chinese Teaching Training program and worked as a lead instructor in McDaniel College.

I did volunteering work at Howard County Chinese School as vice principal as well as a member of Board of Directors. I work with Confucius Institute at the University of Maryland and a group of wonderful volunteers to found the Chinese Language Teacher Association in the National Capital Region.

Because of my involvement in the area of foreign language teaching and learning, I have been nominated and elected to become a board member of the Maryland Foreign Language Association (MFLA) since the Fall of 2009. I am also selected as a delegate of 2009 Chinese Bridge Delegation to visit China.

I enjoy traveling with my family or friends. I love to write about beautiful things I have seen. I like to cook and eat. I am an internationally-minded person.

给自己留点心灵的空间

http://zh.netlog.com/groups/4377/forum/messageid=2735

Alice's Social Bookmarks

http://delicious.com/zhangalice

丝绸之路--Startalkers of Howard Community College

今年是哈维社区学院(HCC)连续获得国家外语中心颁发的‘星谈’(Startalk)基金奖的第三个年头。几年来，HCC用这笔世界关键语基金从哈维县公立学校招募到了两百多名出类拔萃的高才生。我有幸参与这个阿拉伯语和汉语的暑期项目，并与今年亲自带领一班在美国生长的中国孩子加上几个学了一两年中文的美国孩子踏上了探索中国文化，寻找丝绸之路的旅程--‘星谈'中文102。

我们的丝路之行是在学院教室里开始的 。一张丝绸之路地图就是我们的全程。学生们用丰富的想象力追溯张骞出使西域的年代 ，并在地图上一路找寻他的足迹以及丝绸路上其他著名人物。他 们超越时空游历中国历朝历代。从古都长安至充满神秘色彩的西域，丝绸之路上灿烂辉煌的文化耀眼夺目，传奇的历史人物令每一个年轻的旅行者着迷。在途中, 他们把自己融进了上古时代：傅业淳把自己当成东汉军事家班超；张安 琪，于澜波和洪茉莉迷恋嫁给松赞干布的文成；郭汉加崇拜那征服了波斯及其它亚洲王国的亚历山大；张祥琳和马麦克自视是这丝路上西行的唐玄臧。

旅行者们寻根访祖，刨根问底。从汉字的起源到几千年来的演变，从十二个时辰到与之相关的动物，从百家姓到 自己姓氏的出典，从夏禹治水到帝制终止，从寓言故事到历史事件，他们在途中都 一一探索 。还绕道去叩开了孔老夫子的私塾大门, 搜寻这位中国古代杰出教育家的遗迹，并借了文房四宝，动手用毛笔和墨汁把脍灸人口的唐诗抄写在江南工艺扇面上，把在敦煌莫高窟见到的飞天临摹在扇子上。这些游历上古时代的旅行者还流连忘返于诸子百家，观看百花齐放，耳闻百家争鸣， 各家的经典名言是途中的箴言.

丝路上的艺术，舞蹈以及五花八门的体育运动也令这些年轻的长途跋涉者兴奋不已。他们用沿途学会的一些招式来解除漫长路途带来的厌倦。疲劳了，打一下太极，疏展筋骨 ；犯困了，扭一下大秧歌驱除困意； 玩腻了，用自制的橡皮泥做兵马俑捏嘉峪关； 饥渴了 ，闭上眼想象一下“四大名菜”的美味佳肴；兴致来了,看花灯猜谜语……

两千年前在丝绸之路上历尽千难万辛的张骞做梦也不会想到他花了十几年才走完西域之行，而生活在高度发展的科学技术时代的业淳,安琪,澜波,茉莉,汉加,祥琳和麦克则利用暑期的一半时间，就能完成汉武帝时代的重任伟业。这些现代生活中的骄子不愧为炎王子孙的后代，他们在长途跋涉的丝绸之路上充分展现的才能和智慧是时代的结晶，也是骄傲。愿这些“星谈 ”的孩子们把国文华精髓和从中得到启示与现代科技文化融会贯通, 更上一层楼！

２００９年８月

Wenchuan and Her Children

In the summer of 2007, on my way to Jiuzhaigou Valley, I stopped by Wenchuan, a region whose population consisted mostly of Qiang ethnic people.

At that time, because it sat on the main route from Chendu to Jiuzhaigou National park, Wenchuan was then a flourishing town inside the big Minshan mountain range. It was called "The First Qiang Village of China." For thousands of years, this old town had been watching the continuous Min River passing by her feet. And the scenes of mysteriously colored houses along the road sides, together with pedestrians in their ethnic clothing are all inviting tourists to feel the charm of this beautiful ethnic town.

What always stays in my heart, however, were those young, innocent, curious, and grateful eyes of Wenchuan children. Thanks to China's Hope Project, whose mission is to help children from low income families to receive education, many Hope Schools had been built in Wenchuan. As a result, many children from remote mountain region had the opportunity to go to school. To show appreciation to the prosperity brought by tourism as well as the hope by The Hope Project, children in Wenchuan walking alone or in a group always stopped to give their young-pioneer salutes to tourist bus when they saw one.

From the moment I heard about the devastated earthquake in Wenchuan on May 12, 2008, the scene of the saluting children comes back to me again and again. Where is that beautiful old town now? Where are those innocent smiling faces by the road sides? How are those children’s fates? ……

The Min River is crying; the Ba Mountain is mourning; and the whole world is asking: how many young lives were taken by the collapsed school buildings? How many families have had sleepless nights, crying out the names of their lost sons and daughters? How many sons and daughters have become orphans after coming out from the debris?

Brothers and sisters, the broken families need you! The smiling faces inside that big mountain need you! The will-be-reestablished Hope Schools need you! Your money for tonight's eat-out or even for tonight's movie will mean so much for those who are now suffering in Wenchuan. For them, this money can bring hope back into the big mountain again.

Brothers and sisters, they need us! Now!




May 20, 2008

汶川--写在5.12四川大地震后

07年暑假，我随成都旅行社去九寨沟途经了羌族人民居住区汶川。去年的汶川县城还是四川大山沟里一座繁华的城市，也是当年红军翻雪山过草地时经过的美丽山村， 号称中国羌族第一寨。古老的蜀道山城依山傍水，绵延不绝的岷江就在她的脚下川流不息。沿街两边充满神秘色彩的房屋以及身穿五彩缤纷的少数民族行人构成的独特街景令人心驰神往.

汶川山水之美令人难忘。然而更令我魂牵梦绕的是汶川的孩子们! 自从上世纪中国希望工程实施以来，汶川建造了许多希望学校。那些没有机会上学的山里孩子有了机会住校念书。为了感谢旅游业为当地带来的繁荣兴旺，也为了报答希望学校带来的希望，无论是单独行走的儿童还是成群结队的学生，只要他们见到旅游车,就会恭恭敬敬地向游客敬少先队礼，行注目礼。

在汶川大地震后的今天每每回想起这一幕，就百感交集，热泪盈眶。汶川，昔日的世外桃源, 再也没有了鸟在水上飞 人在画中游的景象；路边孩子们纯朴的笑脸也只能永远铭刻在游人的记忆里。

岷江在哭泣，巴山在哀悼，全世界都在关注着灾区。无情的灾难摧毁了这座昔日的天府， 倒塌的学校大楼吞没了无数曾经充满希望的孩子，幸存者为家破人亡生离死别而悲痛欲绝……

同胞们，为了拯救灾区幸存的孩子们, 我们可以少上一次餐馆，少看一次电影!为了重建灾区希望学校，重新看到山里孩子们的笑脸, 请慷慨解囊吧！也许这些捐款对你我而言是一笔小小的支出，但是这些积少成多的爱心却能挽回很多无辜的生命。
同胞们, 让我们伸出援助之手吧！

May 2008

游学古城名校学中文

哈维社区大学"HCC海外学中文"每年暑期都在苏州大学进行。这个项目我已经做了三年。从做广告宣传，征募学员，设计课程学业及文化探索到带领学员开始在实地全浸制地学习中国语言文化游览古城名胜古迹一直到如释重负地在上海机场欢送学员们回美国，我肩负着无数的责任体验了无尽的乐趣，同时也从每年的学员中结交了一些朋友。

这些在海外学中文的中国迷来自不同州，年龄最大的七十有余， 最小的刚满十八。在苏州游学期间，除了学汉语，他们还交朋友，坐茶馆，逛马路，买东西，大砍价，享受到了地道的中国生活。

HCC教员William与中国有不解之缘：他连续两个暑期跟随“海外学中文”，走遍苏州古城区的大街小巷园林楼台，拍了许多具有专业水平的照片。这还不够过瘾，去年索性申请当了苏州大学的外教，找了苏州女友。如今他一年外教期已满，期盼明年再去苏州游学。

中学数学教师Elton也是中国文化的追随者，他痴迷中国音乐。每年去苏州，他都会满街地跑寻觅民族乐器，买了二胡古琴等乐器回到宾馆谁也不理，关起门不停地弹奏。回到美国后要我给他找古琴教师

从哈佛大学来的Mathiew才十八岁，可骨子里透着美国大学生的成熟与自信，短短的三星期游学他交了一大堆朋友。在“海外学中文”接受苏州电视台记者采访时，他用流利的中文介绍他是如何学习中文的。

美籍华裔梅林和她的老美先生Dave都是海军军官。他俩在苏州除了学中文，就是寻找梅花种子。据梅林说她妈妈喜欢梅花，所以给她取中文名为梅。梅林肩负着她妈妈的重托，游学期间，她每到一处，就会打听梅花种子。工夫不负有心人，在回美前，不知她从哪儿得到了种子。这几年，我还经常在华府一带华人聚集场合见到梅林夫妇。每次见到梅林， 她都喜欢说上几句中文。

Bob的故事更传奇。Bob的妈妈跟着我在HCC学了好几年中文。受她影响，三年前，Bob参加了首期“海外学中文”。当Bob在参观上海博物馆时，发现一本叫“移民美国”的书。书的封面照片是一个身穿长袍马褂的青年华裔男子和两个小孩站在旧金山街头。Bob欣喜地发现华裔男子是他的曾祖父，其中一小孩是他的爷爷！按捺不住他乡奇遇引起的激动，Bob一回苏州就把他的故事告诉了我。Bob很快成了新闻人物。苏州报社的记者专程采访了他，了解到Bob家有族谱图，曾爷爷的照片在族谱图里。“移民美国“的封面照片是上一世纪初美国一位有名的摄影师照的。

女儿朱茱今年也加入了游学古城的”海外学中文”行列。朱茱学中文的路颇为曲折：三岁来美国，能够鹦鹉学舌地背上几句唐诗宋词，也可以随手写一些汉字。可是渐渐地，她的英文地道了，却开始把自己的名字写成 “朱大” 了。为之，我和先生煞费苦心地在家附近寻找中文学校。觅来寻去，终于找到了一所中文学校，是用繁体字教学的。注音符号加上复杂的繁体字只让朱茱学了半年就缀学了。一晃好几年。03年我们找到了哈维中文学校。星期天上我在学校教三年级中文，她在我班上学中文。那段时间每逢星期天，我绞尽脑汁地动员她同我一起上学，她又能认一些中文字了。但由于种种原因，过了不久，又放弃了。一过就是好多年，今年年初当我在筹备08年“海外学中文”时，出乎我意料之外，朱茱很严肃地说她要报名参加随我去苏州，而且还要带上三个朋友。想到这“海外学中文”也许会成为女儿以后学业生活的转折点，我欣然答应了。在苏州期间，朱茱没有辜负我一片苦心，她很巴结地学中文，而且还是我工作上的帮手, 如上街时她给朋友们做翻译，当向导。“海外学中文”结束后， 朱茱郑重其事地告诉我她决定在大学里选修中文课! 这真是应了咱中国人的那句俗语：有心栽花花不发，无心插柳柳成荫。

August 2008