International Collaboration

Dr. Parley Jacobs, Principal of West High School in Salt Lake City requested before we left Salt Lake to arrange a video conference between the AP Chinese classes at West High School and English Language Learners at SCUT.  I have worked on that project for several weeks; this week it became a reality. 

A few weeks ago the computer system in my classroom did not respond to anything, not even the SCUT tech support team.  This was the second round of technology failure and yet another room change.  Little did I know that the blessings would follow my patience.  On the third round, I was moved to a room that had a new computer system and a 60” touch screen mounted on the wall.  It was magic, I could write on the screen, show video clips on the screen, Power Point presentations and it had access to the internet.  I was the perfect spot for a video conference to actually take place.

I made my request for a video conference call for students at SCUT and students in Salt Lake City. The Department Chair was hesitant to say the least.  SKYPE was on firewall list at SCUT and had not been made available to students or professors.  Raised eyebrows were the mild reaction.  It was clear again that “those foreign teachers” need close supervision.  About a week later my Department Chair came to my class to tell me that the Dean of the University had given approval to allow a video conference if I had a personal account that could be used and all of the questions were submitted in advance and approved by the Dean. Both of the conditions I could work with.  I contacted WHS, they immediately sent a list of questions, and my students created questions they wanted to ask then I submitted to the Dean our questions.

Next hurdle, I was informed that the screen would be made available and the Internet would be cleared to SKYPE, however there would not be a camera available.  I would need to provide my own camera. I only had two options, use my computer with the camera or purchase a camera that would work with their system.  Neither were great options.  I took my iPad to meet with the tech team, explained that was the only camera I had access to and walaa, a snazzy little video camera appeared in my classroom before the end of the day. 

We tried a practice run with WHS; everything seemed to work well.  Internet connection was easy and clear, both audio and video were smooth.  The time difference was the next huddle.  WHS students agreed to return to school at six o’clock Wednesday night, SLC time so the SCUT students would be in my class at 8:00 AM Thursday morning. The WHS students wanted to practice their Chinese, my SCUT students wanted to practice their English so we agreed on a 15 minute format of Chinese question and answer time then rotate to 15 minute of English question and answer time. 

Questions submitted by West High School AP Chinese 3 Class for Students at SCUT.

1. 申请奖学金有什么要求?

What are the requirements when applying for scholarship?

2. 课余时间你们都做什么?

What activities do you do during your free time?

3. 毕业后你打算做什么? 准备找工作吗? 找什么样的工作, 怎么找?

What are you planning to do after graduation? Looking for a job? What kind of job, and how are you going to find the job?

4. 大学毕业要求学生们一共修几门课?

How many classes are you required to take for graduation?

5. 申请大学的最后日期是什么时候?

When is the deadline for applying college?

6.  在中国大学，从申请大学到选专业/选课的过程是怎么样的？

From applying for colleges to choosing major/classes, what does that process look like?

7.  中国大学生是怎么申请奖学金的？

How do Chinese students apply for scholarships?

8.  中国大学里有没有各种不同的俱乐部或者组织？比如？

Do Chinese universities have many different clubs or organizations？For Example?

9.   住校学生的生活是什么样子的？

What does the life of resident students look like?

10.  中国大学里的老师和学生的比例是多少？

What is the ratio of teachers and students in Chinese universities?

Questions submitted by Master’s Candidates at SCUT for AP Chinese3 Students at WHS.

1.   How many years have you studied Mandarin Chinese?

2.  How do you study a foreign language?  How many hours a day?

·      Oral language

·      Written language

·      Reading the language

3. Are there native Chinese speakers in your school? In you community?

4. What courses do you take to prepare for university study?

5. Do you choose the university you will attend?

6. Do you expect to get financial aid to attend a university?  What kind and how much?

7. What activities outside of your classes do you participate like to attend?

8. Do you play any sports at your school?

9. What is your favorite class to attend?

10. How many students are in your classes?

11. Do you plan to travel to China someday?

It was a great opportunity to provide a global experience for students in Utah and China to have a real time conversation in two languages.  Students in both locations responded and were excited to actually speak to native speakers.  There seemed to be a trust level between students that exhibited international understanding.  It was fun to watch their surprise at the differences in their lives and their future expectations. 

The Dean and the Department Chair were both in my classroom when we spent our international hour.  They were very gracious when they left; I hope we will be able to do this again before the end of the semester.

Chinese students #2

Most Chinese students come from a single child family as outlined by the one child per family law in China.  So from the very vulnerable age of 14 or 15 students move to regional high schools to live in austere dormitory accommodations where their best friends become their fiercest competitors for that coveted high school, university or post graduate enrollment spot.

Chinese education is most definitely teacher/professor lecture to large classes.  English is required at all levels but never taught by a native speaker until post graduate levels when habits are set in concrete and difficult to overcome. Testing is the vehicle that propels student performance and teacher evaluation.  When a student graduates from high school the university they will attend is decided by their test scores and the major area of study, also decided by test scores.  Student choices and personal interests are never a consideration.  Students are so happy to have the privilege to continue their education they never ask or question what their major will be. Students may or may not receive a scholarship or financial aid depending upon; you guessed it, test scores.  Parents may be responsible to finance the entire education bill not all that different from student financing in the U.S.

My largest concern is the emptiness I sense in students.  The core values seem to be absent.  They are happy, easy to get along with, compliant with requests but there is an emptiness.  Being a mother I have to say they are missing a cohesive confidence that being part of a family or having someone care for you regardless of what happens.  It is that unconditional love piece that seems hollow.  We discussed international cuisine in class last week.  I asked students if they cooked any Chinese dishes, no were the answers.  I asked if they had any favorite Chinese dishes that their mother cooked, most students had a favorite.  I asked it they ever cooked or watched their mother cook dishes that they could make for friends or guests.  They all left home so early they only watched their mother as young children.  Only one or two students felt confident they could cook a dish from their region or family.

Students have difficulty with critical thinking.  They have been taught never to question teachers or elders.  They never wonder if there is another way to do something, they merely do what they are taught unassumingly.  As a result, education has become listen to professors, take notes, read, memorize regurgitate information on tests, papers and presentations. It is not uncommon to see students outside buildings memorizing information mostly in Chinese, but sometimes in English. 

The most difficult question I ask my students is “What is your opinion?” They have been taught to only quote what they have been taught, not have an opinion.  I can almost see the wheels turn when students stand to respond to that question. Part and parcel of that syndrome is plagiarism.  The Chinese philosophy is copy the experts, follow the masters of your field.  Chinese students have difficulty with why plagiarism is a problem at all.  Why wouldn’t you want to use the information of those who are expert in your research field?   Eighteen years of educational format is very difficult to overcome. On a positive note, that would be the reason that the knock off market thrives, the Chinese are able to copy everything!

When all is said and done we hope to be able to support our students in their quest to be successful in the Chinese system, not to change the system but to participate in student success the Chinese way.  Even though there are vast differences in philosophy and values, I want to provide English learning opportunities for Chinese students.  Being a teacher is indeed a noble profession, more so now than ever before.

My Chinese Students

I have developed a great deal of respect for my Chinese students as I have become more knowledgeable about their circumstances and the Chinese school system inner workings.

I had the opportunity to implement a Mandarin Chinese Dual Immersion program in the last elementary school where I was the Principal. Utah made a decision to adopt Mandarin Chinese dual immersion in eight elementary schools along the Wasatch Front.  I volunteered Lone Peak Elementary to participate in that pilot program.  I was afforded the opportunity to partner with Brigham Young University and the Utah State Office of Education to design and implement this program.  It was decided that first grade students would begin the implementation with a 50/50 model.  That meant that Mandarin Chinese would be spoken in the content area for 50% of the day and English would be spoken for the other 50% of the day.  Native Chinese speakers would teach social studies, math, art, physical education and music in Chinese and the rest of the curriculum would be delivered in English.

I was selected by the State Office to travel to Beijing and Wuhan, China to observe Chinese schools and instructional patterns.  Visiting the schools was a great experience, however we were guided to only the schools that were selected for us to see model students doing remarkable work.  Very large classrooms 50—60 students with the teacher lecturing and delivering instructions to all levels. Never a behavior problem, never an attendance problem, students well prepared when called upon to respond to the teacher's query were the classrooms we visited day after day, in both cities. 

We requested to meet with the principal, some teachers and students to discuss school curriculum and protocols.  We were promptly told that principals never meet with students and furthermore we would not be speaking to the principal either.  We discovered later that Principals are appointed by the communist party and rarely deal with school issues. 

I hired my first grade native Mandarin teacher and launched a summer program to prepare for the implementation Mandarin Chinese in first grade.  I lost many nights sleep wondering if I would be able to fill a classroom of willing students and parents to speak 50% of their curriculum day in Mandarin Chinese.  School started with a waiting list of students to get in the program, the teacher I hired was a huge success and we were off and running.  We decided to treat the Chinese classroom as an island, only Chinese would be spoken in that room, attendance, lunch orders, bathroom requests, home work assignments the whole works were spoken in Chinese.  I expected to have first grade students in tears the first day of school because they were not able to understand anything their Chinese teacher said, but students were actually entertained and listened carefully to voice tones and directions.  They loved the Chinese program.  Long story short, that program now has a lottery every spring to accommodate the high demand for enrollment and my 1st grade class is now in 5^th grade speaking amazing Chinese.  They are above grade level in their subjects across the board. 

That is part of what brought me to China to teach at the University level. I have learned first hand about the Chinese school system mostly from those who have successfully navigated the system to a Master’s program at South China University of Technology. My students are respectful, they stand to speak in class, they arrive early, never a tardy problem.  My students are very bright and have survived a whole gambit of testing.  I remember being in schools when “No Child Left Behind” was introduced to public education.  There were complaints about the high stakes testing that was required.  That state and federal testing pale to the testing Chinese students are required to take.  Speaking of high stakes, if you do not score well on Chinese testing your school career is over; only the highest scores are allowed to advance to high school and universities.  Not surprising that students are respectful, attend all of their classes, and complete everything they are asked to do! They all recognize their own fragility in this system.

My Chinese students have lived in residence halls and eaten cafeteria food three meals a day since they were admitted to high school as freshman.  High schools are regional, only the highest scores are allowed to attend and they must live on campus sometimes a long distance from their families.  They have now completed their undergraduate and were admitted by their test scores to Master’s programs.  They have lived without a family for eight-ten years. Every freshman student, male and female is required to do military training at the beginning of the school year prior to attending the university.  Very thoughtful planning by the CCP, the best and the brightest of the entire country are not only well educated, they are military trained and prepared as well.

What do movies say about us?

The weather in Guangzhou couldn’t be more pleasant.  It remains about 80 degrees most days with nights in the 70s, my kind of perfect.  The sun is out all day, however our days are beginning to see shorter amounts of sunshine.  The humidity today was 61%; our laundry dries in one day.  I am not sure how you could improve on that.  We walk to class every morning in short sleeves and sunshine, it seems like sunshine has a direct effect on positive mental attitude as well.

It seems that everyone is settled into a routine, students have figured out how to manage the pacing in their classes, teachers have managed to get everything that needs to be included in the syllabus in the curriculum schedule and the rest is history.  I am beginning to think about what the final exam will be in my classes. I was just informed that the final will be 40% of the grade for my students and should reflect the instruction.  I need to spend time pondering what exactly that will look like.  It is easy to tell the communication improvement in my classes.  The first week of class it was difficult to pull any commentary out of students.  They had never had a foreign teacher before and were very self-conscious about speaking English. They are feeling comfortable with their English now and sometimes it is necessary to stop conversations to move to new ideas. 

The assigned homework this week was to watch an English movie with another student from our class to speak English with in a discussion after the movie.  No Chinese subtitles were part of the assignment.  Today in class we did movie critiques.  It is a sobering experience to think that my Chinese students could judge our U.S. culture and who know how many others in China on the television series FRIENDS, the movie TWILIGHT or PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.  Those were the top three selections that were overwhelmingly the favorite representation of U.S. Culture.  I am still not sure how to respond to that mix and what it really says about us and about what my students believe life in the U.S. is really like.  Whose reality can those three selections reflect? 

The teacher is being schooled!

This week I had a student ask me to proofread his resume.  He is getting ready to take the GRE to be admitted to graduate school in the US, he is hopeful North Carolina.  He is in our Master’s Program working towards his Master’s of Chemical Engineering and diligently working to polish his 13 years of English study.  Very bright student has done very well in school academically; he has taken very difficult classes and is at the top of his class.  He still has to take the TOFEL for admittance into an English-speaking program and of course get a high score on the GRE. 

The part of his resume that caused me to pause was his extra curricular/ leadership section.  He has been active in school leadership opportunities from the beginning of his freshman year straight through his Master’s Program.  At least a half dozen leadership entries were student leadership positions within the student Communist Party chapter on campus.  I know students on campuses across the United States participate politically on many different levels from Young Democrats and Young Republicans all the way to government internships so political activity was not the questions at all.  I have worked with students for all most two months and it never really occurred to me that they are all most likely Communist Party participants. Students who are successful in China are in fact members and leaders in the Communist Party.  We had an interesting conversation as I suggested to him if he was planning to go to the United States he might not want to list his Communist Party activities on his resume; possibly a change to campus student leadership positions might be better received in the United States.  He seemed puzzled and somewhat defensive in his explanation of pride in his ability to be recognized by the Communist Party. 

He enlightened me about Guangzhou and the role it had played in the Cultural Revolution and the implementation of the Communist Party in China.  His family has been involved for generations.  He caused me to do some research and spend time visiting the local sights commemorating events in Chinese history. 

The Guangzhou Uprising of 1927 was a failed Communist uprising in the city of Guangzhou in southern China.

On December 11, 1927, Red Guard citizens, directed by Communist political leaders, took over Guangzhou (then known as Canton in English). The uprising occurred despite the strong objections of Communist military commanders such as Ye Ting, Ye Jianying and Xu Xiangqian. Using the element of surprise, rebel forces took over most of the city within hours, despite a huge numerical and technical advantage held by government troops. The Communist leaders officially renamed the city's political structure "Guangzhou Soviet". However, warlord armies quickly crushed the uprising. Zhang Tailei, the leading Red Guard organizer, was killed in an ambush as he returned from a meeting. The takeover dissolved by the early morning of December 13, 1927.

In the resulting purges, many young Communists were killed, and the Guangzhou Soviet became known as the "Guangzhou Commune" or "Paris Commune of the East"; it lasted only a short time at the cost of more than 5,000 Communists dead and an equal number missing. Ye Ting, the military commander, was scapegoated, purged and blamed for the failure, despite the fact that the obvious disadvantage of the Communist force was the main cause of the defeat, as Ye Ting and other military commanders had correctly pointed out. Enraged by his unjustified treatment, Ye Ting left China and went into exile in Europe, not returning until nearly a decade later.

The Japanese entered Guangzhou, then Canton, on Friday, October 12, 1938 and occupied Guangzhou until the end of World War II.  There are many memorials around the city so we took the time to visit those Chinese memorials to better understand student’s background and political understanding.  

The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall sits in the city center.  The huge auditorium is an amazing, dark walnut stage with a huge balcony, leaded glass windows with stained glass in the upper levels.  Interestingly enough the soft padded chairs are red velvet on red carpet.  The auditorium is still used today for social and political events.  The statue out front is the same mold that sits in front of the SCUT Administration building where we teach every day.  

Martyr's Park is where the young Red Guard gathered to fight knowing they were outnumbered but remained committed to their cause.  There is a large mound dedicated to the mass grave where they were all buried together. Yes, that is a very large a hand wrapped around an even larger rifle.

Peasant Movement Park is largely housing and training buildings with cafeteria accommodations in a huge halls.  This is a training registration room with furniture used at the time. The housing is tightly crammed with wooden bunk beds, four beds to a set, barely room to stand up between. 

This whole piece was enlightening and very interesting to contemplate what we are all about here in China.  I have spent considerable time reflecting about my students and my role in their progression to support them in reaching their goals.  There is an emptiness about my students, they seem alone, lonely and struggling to make sense of their lives. They are each in intense competition with their classmates to be the best, get the best grades, get into the best schools, get the best job and ultimately have the most power.   I am watching more carefully their interactions and presentation. I love being in a place that makes me think, I love being challenged to determine who I am and what things are important to me.  I love deeply my family, who they are and what they are about.  They are amazing, all 20 of them.