Chinese Teachers Teach American Students About Chinese Culture

How much do you know about the Chinese language or culture?
I admit, I don’t know much at all. But if I went to school in Lawton, Oklahoma. I would be studying this subject under the instruction of a Chinese woman named Zheng Yue.
Zheng is one of 325 guest teachers form China who are teaching in America. These teachers have volunteered to teach here in order to educate students about the Chinese culture and language. In exchange, 2,000 American school administrators are visiting China. The program is an effort by China that aims to educate others about the country and the Chinese people.
In addition to teaching students about her culture, Zheng is learning about American culture.
“My life in high school was torture, just studying, nothing else,” said Zheng. “Here, students lead more interesting lives. They party, they drink, they date. In China, we study and study and study.”
Another difference Zheng has noticed is the difference between Chinese teachers and American teachers.
This country doesn’t value teachers, and that upsets me,” she said. “Teachers don’t earn much, and this country worships making money. In China, teachers don’t earn a lot either, but it’s a very honorable career.”
But Zheng does not only teach, every day, all day. She has also been active in the community. Like several other visiting Chinese professors, Zheng has been exposed to the American way of life.
“Part of them coming here is us indoctrinating them about our great country and our freedoms,” said Barry Beauchamp, the Lawton superintendent. “We’ve seen them go to church and to family reunions, country music concerts, rodeos. So it’s been interesting to see them soak up our culture.”
I think this a great way for students to learn about another culture, and an excellent opportunity for Zheng and other schoolteachers to learn about America.
I am currently studying abroad in Spain this summer, and what I look forward to the most is experiencing and learning about their culture.
Via The New York Times
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