Chinese teachers offer insight into education, culture
Seven teachers visiting Holland College from Western Sichuan Province will be the guests of honour at a community tea house to be held at the Tourism and Culinary Centre located at 2 Sydney Street, Charlottetown on the evening of Tuesday, November 28.
The teachers are visiting the college as the final phase of the Enhance Rural Teacher Training partnership project funded through CIDA. Holland College has been the lead community college involved in the teacher training project in rural China for the past five years.
The teachers are visiting Holland College in order to prepare a handbook that will be a valuable resource to them and their colleagues when they return to their home.
Chrystyna Holman, a learning manager for the college's Early Childhood Care and Education program, said the teachers have a wealth of information to share with Islanders.
"Although the teachers come from an economically deprived region of China, you would have a hard time knowing that. They are full of enthusiasm and joy; and above all, they are very committed to their teaching profession," she said.
"They are very proud of their homeland and of their rich and ancient culture, and they are looking forward to having the opportunity to meet with members of the public who would like to learn more. Their anecdotes will take you to places where tourists simply don't go. They'll introduce you to crowded classrooms where children come to school in their traditional and colourful ethnic clothing, and they will demonstrate their regional folk dances."
In addition to giving the public an opportunity to meet these remarkable women, the Community Tea House is an opportunity for the teachers to raise funds for educational resources for their schools.
There will be a silent auction of traditional Chinese crafts; and tea, coffee and homemade sweets will be served. The community tea house will take place at the Tourism and Culinary Centre from 7 to 8:30 pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.
For more information about this release, please contact: Sara Underwood, Media and Communications Officer Tel: 902-566-9695
Date: Friday, November 24, 2006
