Alice Zhang was among 400 U.S. school district leaders and education decision-makers who participated in the 2009 Chinese Bridge Delegation: Taking the Next Step — a one-week education visit designed to strengthen and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. The trip took place from Dec. 2 through Dec. 10 and was sponsored by Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters in partnership with the not-for-profit College Board.
This fifth Chinese Bridge Delegation trip was tailored to the needs of institutions already offering Chinese language programs, with a focus on in-depth school visits and educational workshops. The participants attended presentations on successful models and available resources, joined in partnership-building activities, and shared experiences and best practices for building Chinese language and culture programs with U.S. and Chinese educators.
“We’re encouraged by the enthusiasm educators have shown for the Bridge Delegation in both the U.S. and China,” says Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. “Since the program’s inception in 2006, we’ve taken 2,000 U.S. educators to China to experience firsthand the culture of a country that is rapidly changing and growing on the global stage. We also now have 138 Chinese guest teachers currently in the U.S. teaching our students Chinese language and culture.”
Ms.Zhang’s mission of this trip was to search educational partnerships for Baltimore International Academy, a charter school of Baltimore City Public School System. She visited several schools in Chongqing, Sichuan. On behalf of the school, she signed Memorandum for partnerships between Baltimore International Academy and Ren He Jie Primary School of Chongqing, PRC. Ms. Crystal Chen’s Chinese Immersion Third Grade of BIA will pair with Class 9 Grade 3 of RHJ Primary. It is planned that the school will start Study China Program in Spring, 2012.
This fifth Chinese Bridge Delegation trip was tailored to the needs of institutions already offering Chinese language programs, with a focus on in-depth school visits and educational workshops. The participants attended presentations on successful models and available resources, joined in partnership-building activities, and shared experiences and best practices for building Chinese language and culture programs with U.S. and Chinese educators.
“We’re encouraged by the enthusiasm educators have shown for the Bridge Delegation in both the U.S. and China,” says Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. “Since the program’s inception in 2006, we’ve taken 2,000 U.S. educators to China to experience firsthand the culture of a country that is rapidly changing and growing on the global stage. We also now have 138 Chinese guest teachers currently in the U.S. teaching our students Chinese language and culture.”
Ms.Zhang’s mission of this trip was to search educational partnerships for Baltimore International Academy, a charter school of Baltimore City Public School System. She visited several schools in Chongqing, Sichuan. On behalf of the school, she signed Memorandum for partnerships between Baltimore International Academy and Ren He Jie Primary School of Chongqing, PRC. Ms. Crystal Chen’s Chinese Immersion Third Grade of BIA will pair with Class 9 Grade 3 of RHJ Primary. It is planned that the school will start Study China Program in Spring, 2012.
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.