Education Department Partners with Chinese Educators
From Yi Gong, Education:
The School of Professional and Graduate Studies has been exploring international relationships with institutions outside the U.S., including Chile, South Africa, England, and China, with the goals of increasing global awareness, researching best practices from different education systems, and ultimately improving our program quality. Under the leadership of Drs. Melinda Treadwell, Shirley McLoughlin, Dottie Bauer, Yi Gong, and Ms. Deirdre McPartlin, the Education Department has initiated conversations with Wuxi Teachers College and Nanjing Experimental Kindergarten in China for potential collaboration in educational research, international classroom teaching experiences, and professional development opportunities. Nanjing Experimental Kindergarten, currently a partner with the KSC Child Development Center (CDC), is planning to send a visiting team in the spring of 2012 to further this recently established partnership.
On Friday, October 14, a team of Chinese educators visited Keene State College and presented to education faculty and students on current practices in Chinese elementary education. Members of the team included the principal of a school for academically talented students (Mr. Wei Jiang), a public elementary school teacher (Ms. Ye Hua), and two school board members (Ms. Kefang Mei and Mr. Jian Shi). The team also toured the Marlborough School, one of Keene State’s partnership schools, and observed a fifth grade classroom. They participated in a social studies lesson taught by Ms. Ashley Rouse (Ms. Sue Pomasko’s classroom), an Elementary Education major and methods student. This visit was coordinated by Marlborough School Principal Reuben Duncan; Dr. Nancy Lory, Professor of Special Education; and Ms. Linda Vermouth, Instructor and field supervisor for Elementary Methods. The visiting Chinese educators noted the engagement of the elementary students and commented on the students’ ownership of their learning. They also discussed teacher preparation, differentiated instruction, and the innovative model of personal learning plans.
The School of Professional and Graduate Studies is committed to increasing the international awareness and experiences of its graduates through this and other similar initiatives.
