Friday, April 23, 2010
My last blog discussed my final full day in Changchun, which was Thursday. Today, Friday I will leave for the airport at noon. So, I woke up to a beautiful day in Changchun City and left for the Second Experimental School campus two to observe a spring celebration that the primary school students have each spring. This celebration is done to welcome the eagerly awaited warmer weather and to welcome potential first grade students that are considering enrolling in the fall. Campus one is a public school that serves 4,000 students and campus two is a private school that serves 3,800 students. Both schools have students that are enrolled in grades 9-12. I can also tell you from numerous classroom visits, observations and teacher discussions that the students at each school work extremely hard on their academics. Like American students, doing well academically in school, at all levels (college or vocational), will allow a person to have opportunities in life.
I finished packing up my things and arrived at the school with Mr. Wang (one of the vice principals) and Christina, my interpreter (three other teachers, Jennifer, Rose and Susan also served as interpreters at different times during my stay and they all did a great job). We went to one of the other vice Principal’s office, Mr. Yang. We debriefed a bit about my week at the two schools and then went outside to the track (I believe that I have mentioned that the students have a few times during the day at which time they do physical exercises as a school; before school begins at 6:55 AM, after second period class and then again after fourth period when they do their eye exercises).
On our walk to the track I noticed a lot a students on the field. The primary grade (1-6) students were lined up on the field in their class rows. All of the teachers, administrators, future first graders and special guests were sitting in the stands and on a press box area. After a welcome and praise given by a member of the staff the students welcomed their guests and then jogged to another area while a group of students (about 60) got lined up and did a fabulous routine which involved dancing and using big rings to twirl. It was very cool. Then the students ran a lap in front of the stands by class, with their teachers jogging with them. After going in front of the stands the students line up on the field. The entire field was covered with 1,800 kids in their school uniform and it looked great. Mr. Yang then gave a short speech. Following his speech, I was given the opportunity to go to the field and shake the hands of the kids that were at the front of the lines. That was a thrill and about halfway through we started doing “high fives” which was a blast. What an exciting program and way to end a terrific week at the school.
We then had a quick lunch. Principal Song, who had to leave the program early for a prior commitment, stopped by as we were getting into the car after lunch to bid farewell which was extremely nice of her.
Time was a little tight by time we got to the airport to go to Beijing. The staff that came to the airport with me, Mrs. Guan, Mr. Yang, Mr. Lien, Mr. Wang, Mr. Lee and Christina “pulled some strings” to get me ticketed and have my bags checked which again was very nice. As Cristina stated, “our school is very large and we have a lot of friends, a lot of places”. And how!
I have been asked what is the purpose of this journey. My response is to partner with an established and highly successful school in another country to:
1. Provide to staff and students (in both schools) experiences in education and culture in a foreign country
2. Share ideas for instruction and planning with colleagues across the world
3. Increase student achievement by the collaboration of different styles instruction
4. Reflect on planning and instruction, to continually move forward as a school
5. Offer all of our students the very best we can do as a staff every day
6. Have students communicate personally with students in China through
a. Skye (which we have been doing this second semester)
b. Email “pen pals”
The future for our students at Helfrich Park is to continually provide innovative opportunities for core experiences and learning. This is one way to accomplish that ever changing dynamic.
Principal Song and I also hope to begin an exchange program of some sort for staff and students of both schools. What a tremendous experience I had at the schools what outstanding hospitality I was afforded.
