Trip to China

Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to be selected as a member of the Chinese Bridge Delegation, a group of superintendents from across the country who traveled to China to view the cultural and educational aspects of China. One of the things that stuck with me as I traveled back to the states is how well China is doing with education. Most of their students are very aware of other cultures and many speak very fluent English. It is clear if we are to compete with China on the global stage, we must focus on making our children competitive by giving the same exposure to other cultures as students in China receive. In short we must strive to teach our children how to survive in a world that is becoming more and more diverse as technology shrinks the distances between cultures.

Below is the press release about my participation. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to China, and I feel that the lessons I learned there so many thousands of miles away will serve me here in Columbus County.

Destination China: Local Educator Among 50 Nationwide Superintendents to Gain Firsthand Knowledge of the People’s Republic of China With Summer Tour Program Seeks to Build, Expand Chinese Foreign Language Programs in Local U.S. Schools

Columbus County, North Carolina—Dr. Dan Strickland, Superintendent of Columbus County Schools is one of 50 nationwide superintendents who will travel to China for a one-week tour in an effort to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. In its second year, the Chinese Bridge Delegation aims to expose school decision-makers to the rich history and culture of a country whose language is the most widely spoken in the world. Ultimately, the sponsors who take part in this program aspire to foster a better understanding of Chinese culture and fluency in the language among U.S. students. With more than 800 delegates scheduled for this year’s trip, set for June 24 through July 2, participation has doubled since last year. A variety of educators, including teachers, administrators and language coordinators, will begin their tour in Beijing and then travel to other cities and provinces where they will meet with local education commissions. Participants will have an opportunity to talk with Chinese education leaders, build sister schools and network with other U.S. educators who are working toward the same goal of offering Chinese language programs to their students. “We hope this program will eventually help to offer more students in our country the opportunity to become fluent in the most widely spoken language in the world,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “We’re building a bridge that will aid in strengthening our ties, our future economic partnerships and our appreciation of our respective cultures.” Beyond cultural enrichment, the trip will also provide incentives and strategies for educators to return to the United States better equipped to support the growth of Chinese language and culture programs in their own districts. Chinese is the national language of the more than 1.3 billion inhabitants of China and millions more ethnic Chinese around the world. While more than 200 million Chinese schoolchildren are studying English—often begun as early as the second grade—experts estimate no more than 50,000 U.S. students are studying Chinese. As stated by Dr. Strickland, “both the motto, “Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s World” and the mission statement for Columbus County Schools, “to instill in students the academic and social skills essential for responsible and productive citizenship in a global society,” are aligned with the North Carolina strategic goal for preparing students for the 21 century in a global society and are reflective of our commitment to promote global awareness. In order to adequately prepare our students for work in a global society, it is imperative to not only educate our students with skills and knowledge, but nurture an appreciation for diversity. Promoting cultural awareness and implementing character education initiatives are basic steps in this process which have been incorporated throughout our district. We are interested in finding additional strategies to future enhance our efforts.” Dr. Strickland also stated “Although we are located in a rural setting which has traditionally reflected little ethnic diversity, we are beginning to see a change in this trend. Currently, we have several Chinese families residing in our communities, a growing Hispanic population as well as a small percentage of other ethnic groups. Mandarin Chinese is the fastest growing language in the world and will be offered this year though the Virtual High School program. Perhaps a Chinese language program would enhance our efforts in preparing all the children in our district for life in a global society. The Chinese Bridge Delegation is sponsored funded by Hanban, China’s Office of Chinese Language Council International, in partnership with the College Board, the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools, the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages, the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages and Chinese Consulates in the United States. In April 2006, the College Board and Hanban announced the formation of a partnership to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. In addition to the Chinese Bridge Delegation, the partnership features other programs intended to help educators promote Chinese language and culture programs. For more information about these programs, visit www.collegeboard.com/k12chinese. Established by the Chinese government in 1987, Hanban is China’s official agency authorized to promote Chinese language and culture internationally, fulfilling a function similar to that of both the United Kingdom’s British Council and France’s Alliance Française.