 Message from Assistant Principal
Little did I know five years ago when, on a airplane flight from Tokyo to the United States , seated next to Dr. Wang, Principal of the Beijing New Oriental Foreign Language School at Yangzhou , that a few months later I would be serving as his assistant principal. I had recently taken early retirement from a long career of specializing in early childhood education in America and had no plans to become involved in yet another career. However, when Dr. Wang told me of this wonderful new school for which he would be responsible, he did so with great passion and enthusiasm. I recognized immediately that he was a man of great vision and had a commitment to educational excellence. I discovered in our lengthy discussions on that airplane that we had a great deal in common relating to the education of children whether they were students in America or in China . Before reaching the United States , Dr. Wang had convinced me to come to Yangzhou to join his educational team of skillful school administrators and teachers, a decision I have yet to regret.
In addition to assisting Dr. Wang with various administrative duties, my main responsibility is to over-see the
international teachers of English at our school. The
international teachers are a very diverse cultural group of people coming from America , Australia , Canada , Indonesia , Nigeria , and Great Britain . Working cooperatively with the Chinese teachers of English we have a common goal of guiding each student at our school toward English language proficiency through a core curriculum consisting of songs and rhymes. Research has shown that songs enter the brain in a different way than other media, and that students retain them longer. It is also known that songs appeal to multiple intelligences in every learner. Songs and rhymes are extremely effective in teaching English for they develop listening and reading skills in a fun interactive way, teach natural pronunciation efficiently, and creates enthusiasm for learning.
All of the
international teachers at our school would agree that having the opportunity to work with Chinese students, all of whom are so motivated to learn, and our talented Chinese colleagues, is very rewarding. However, there is another aspect of being a
international teacher at our school that is equally rewarding…. the opportunity to share cultural customs, holidays, etc. that are unique to each of the countries represented by the
international teachers. For example, at the end of October, Halloween, an unusual festival celebrated in many parts of the world, was introduced at our school. The students and teachers grasped the concept of this festival quickly and showed great creativity in designing their Halloween costumes. The students loved the concept of “Trick or Treat” as they went from classroom to classroom in their costumes collecting bags of sweets. Christmas was another opportunity to share with the students and teachers of our school the various traditions observed around the world. The highlight for the students and teachers on Christmas day was the appearance of Santa Claus (Principal Dr. Wang) handing out Christmas treats to everyone.
Being an American here in China , sharing my professional expertise in education, is truly a privilege. It provides me with an opportunity to know and appreciate the rich Chinese culture. I am often overwhelmed by the warmth and friendship that is extended to me by my many new Chinese friends and colleagues. My New Year wish was for other people from around the world to have a similar experience as I am having here in China . We are a global society and we must work together to achieve peace throughout the world. Cultural exchanges can and do promote peace. I am now proud to call the Beijing New Oriental Foreign Language School at Yangzhou , China my second home.
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