Primary Source Hosts Xi'an Middle School English Teachers

As part of an ongoing exchange between local Boston area teachers and teachers in China, Primary Source hosted four English teachers from Xi'an Middle School in Shaanxi province to visit public schools in the greater Boston area this fall.

This summer, Primary Source hosted a two-week study tour for 18 teachers from across New England to five different cities in China including Beijing, Xi'an, Datong, Pingyao, and Guangzhou. The trip followed the teachers' attendance at a rigorous summer institute at Primary Source including an overview of the history, people, and culture of China. While in Xi'an, Boston area teachers experienced Chinese culture firsthand by teaching English to middle school students at the Middle School and staying with local Chinese teachers and their families.

During their week-long stay in the Boston area, October 6-13, 2007, the Xi'an teachers are reconnecting with many of the Boston teachers they hosted in Xi'an this summer, staying with local students and their families in Winchester and Watertown. They will have an opportunity to learn firsthand about the United States public education system by observing K-12 classrooms and attending staff and administrative meetings at Winchester and Watertown public schools, both districts that have been committed to incorporating China into their curriculum. Both communities are excited about the Xi'an teachers visit and look forward to an exchange of US and Chinese cultures at scheduled community events.

While many Chinese have been learning English and developing an interest in the United States for some time, Americans are just beginning to learn about China. Primary Source's programming on China is designed to introduce K-12 educators to Chinese history, geography, arts, literature, and daily life. Our model is to develop courses that bring the best university professors together with expert teachers who can show other teachers how they have incorporate china into their classrooms. To date, approximately 2000 teachers have taken Primary Source China courses, impacting 400,000 students over the past 10 years. In addition to publishing a curriculum guide for teachers entitled, The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China, Primary Source has also developed a Chinese Language Teachers Network for American schools interested in developing a Chinese (Mandarin) language program.