2010.01.30: China RPCV Tiffany Nelson teaches English as a second language classes at an international school in Pekin

Peace Corps Online: Directory: China: Peace Corps China : Peace Corps China: Newest Stories: 2010.01.30: China RPCV Tiffany Nelson teaches English as a second language classes at an international school in Pekin

By Admin1 (admin) (98.188.147.225) on Sunday, April 25, 2010 - 5:20 pm: Edit Post

China RPCV Tiffany Nelson teaches English as a second language classes at an international school in Pekin

China RPCV Tiffany Nelson teaches English as a second language classes at an international school in Pekin

When Tiffany Nelson asked students at L.E. Starke Primary School if they had ever tried "beetle-on-a-stick," the response was "Ewww!" and "Yuck!" But when the Pekin Community High School graduate and former Peace Corps volunteer asked how many had been to a Chinese restaurant, almost every hand went up. "Just because their foods are different doesn't mean they're bad," said Nelson, who was pictured in a PowerPoint presentation eating beetles on a stick in China. "It's pretty good, really. Maybe you can try them sometime." Nelson, who came to Pekin during the Chinese New Year - from Jan. 25 through Feb. 16 - shared her experiences of living in China with students during the school's multimedia assembly held earlier this week. She spoke of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tibet, Beijing, and other cities in China, and explained about the many different languages and dialects that are spoken throughout the country. Nelson served in the Peace Corps in China as a university ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher from 2007 to 2009. One of her responsibilities as a former Peace Corps volunteer is to promote helping Americans understand different countries, people, and their cultures. So when Starke School Principal Stan Fitzanko invited Nelson to participate in the assembly, she didn't hesitate.

China RPCV Tiffany Nelson teaches English as a second language classes at an international school in Pekin

Children learn about foreign cultures

Caption: Third-graders in the classes of teachers Laura Bieller, Abby Hill and Erin Johnson at L.E. Starke Elementary School react to Chinese customs as described by Tiffany Nelson, who served in the Peace Corps in China and currently teaches English as a second language classes at an international school. Photo: Joni Andrews / Times staff

By Valari Hyatt

Pekin Daily Times

Sat Jan 30, 2010, 05:00 PM CST
Print This Print This |
PEKIN, Ill. -

When Tiffany Nelson asked students at L.E. Starke Primary School if they had ever tried "beetle-on-a-stick," the response was "Ewww!" and "Yuck!" But when the Pekin Community High School graduate and former Peace Corps volunteer asked how many had been to a Chinese restaurant, almost every hand went up.

"Just because their foods are different doesn't mean they're bad," said Nelson, who was pictured in a PowerPoint presentation eating beetles on a stick in China. "It's pretty good, really. Maybe you can try them sometime."

Nelson, who came to Pekin during the Chinese New Year - from Jan. 25 through Feb. 16 - shared her experiences of living in China with students during the school's multimedia assembly held earlier this week. She spoke of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tibet, Beijing, and other cities in China, and explained about the many different languages and dialects that are spoken throughout the country.

Nelson served in the Peace Corps in China as a university ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher from 2007 to 2009. One of her responsibilities as a former Peace Corps volunteer is to promote helping Americans understand different countries, people, and their cultures. So when Starke School Principal Stan Fitzanko invited Nelson to participate in the assembly, she didn't hesitate.

"I have 40 students in one class," said Nelson, who presently lives and works in Chengdu, Sichuan in China where she teaches ESL to elementary students at the Chengdu Meishi International School. "We have two teachers for each class. There's not a lot of room in the class so they all sit close to each other, right by the teacher."

During her presentation, she discussed the Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated in China.

"This year the Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 14. On our calendar, that's Valentine's Day but in China, it's actually Jan. 1 on the Chinese calendar. They celebrate much like we do at Christmas, with presents, food and family. They don't have school. No one goes to work. It's their biggest holiday of the year."

After the early morning assembly, students returned to their individual classes where they continued learning about China from Nelson and another special Chinese guest, Sylvia Chen, owner of Fast Dragon, a Chinese restaurant located in downtown Pekin.

Marj Oesch, who unofficially dubbed the assembly "Diversity Day," invited Chen to speak to the second-graders. "Their culture is so different than ours and the children have been asking a lot of questions. When we needed extra resources, Sylvia Chen supplied us with chopsticks, fortune cookies, newspapers written in Mandarin, and zodiac place mats. She's been so helpful so I asked her to come as our special guest speaker and answer questions about her home country."

Happy to oblige, Chen came loaded down with gifts. Not only did she bring gift certificates for a free meal at her restaurant, but she also brought chop sticks which she used to demonstrate how to pick up a piece of paper or a grain of rice. She also brought "cheater chopsticks" for beginners.

She also brought a Chinese calendar, red Chinese New Year envelopes that are stuffed with money for their children on New Year's Day festivities, a Chinese mask that is worn by children in their New Year's Day parade, and Chinese currency.

She also translated students' names into Chinese writing. "It took about two hours to do all 50 names. First I had to type out all of their names, then translate their names into Chinese," Chen said. "It was fun but time-consuming but I think it's worth it that they can see how their names look and sound in Chinese. It's very different."

Oesch told Chen about a book they read in class, from the learning center. "It reported that families in China only have one child. The children were concerned about Chinese children not having any brothers and sisters. They wondered if the book was true?"

Chen said the book is right. "In China there are seven people living together as one family. Every family has one mother, one father, two grandmothers and two grandfathers - one of each on each parents' side - and one child. So they already have a big family and they only have one child per family because they don't want to overpopulate. China is already crowded."

Oesch said not only are Starke students learning about China, Russia and other countries and their cultures, but they are actively participating in helping other countries. For instance, Oesch's students collected coins to donate to Haiti through Broadmoor Junior High. And the PTA reported that 12 Pekin families had a brighter Christmas this year because of their Helping Hands program.
"Pekin 108 has a core value to treat everyone with respect and kindness," Oesch said. "Our ‘I Care' rules stress that we care about each other and are responsible for what we say and do. We will do our best to practice those beliefs as we learn about diversity and unity in our world. Especially at Starke School."

Meanwhile, diversity isn't just happening at Starke School. According to Bill Link, Superintendent of Schools, District 108, "Several of our board members are attending a diversity workshop titled, ‘Diversity and Inclusion Awareness.'"

Link said the purpose of the workshop is to create a common understanding of diversity and inclusion, behaviors required to create an inclusive environment, and how it all links to achieving district goals.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: January, 2010; Peace Corps China; Directory of China RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for China RPCVs; Education; Primary Education; The Third Goal





When this story was posted in April 2010, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

Feb 10, 2010: Senator Dodd to Retire Date: February 19 2010 No: 1433 Feb 10, 2010: Senator Dodd to Retire
Dodd retires from Senate 6 Jan
Cameron Hume named US Ambassador to Pakistan 8 Feb
Florida RPCVs sponsor Everglades Experience 6 Feb
Jeff Hall brings aid to Sierra Leone 1 Feb
Peace Corps to reach 11,000 PCVs in 2016 1 Feb
Hugh Pickens writes: Standing Bear Looks to the Future 27 Jan
Ann Varghese survives 55 hours in Haiti rubble 26 Jan
John Guy LaPlante at 80 was oldest PCV 17 Jan
Steve Radelet to advise Hilary Clinton on Development 15 Jan
Obituary for Co-Author of ‘The Ugly American' 14 Jan
Peace Corps Establishes Program in Indonesia 11 Dec
What Happened to Obama's Promise? 3 Dec
George Packer writes: Obama's Troubles 24 Nov
PC Mourns Loss of Morocco PCV So-Youn Kim 17 Nov
Peace Corps volunteers return to Madagascar 16 Nov
PC to grow by several thousand over next 2 years 15 Nov
Former Hostage John Limbert named to Iran Bureau 11 Nov
Carrie Hessler Radelet named PC Deputy Director 9 Nov
Garamendi Sworn into Congress 9 Nov
Jesse Lonergan writes graphic novel "Joe and Azat" 4 Nov
David Macaray writes: Hearts and Minds in Afghanistan 29 Oct
Dustin Hogenson writes: Sauna in Kazakstan 26 Oct


Memo to Incoming Director Williams Date: August 24 2009 No: 1419 Memo to Incoming Director Williams
PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

Join Us Mr. President! Date: June 26 2009 No: 1380 Join Us Mr. President!
"We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .

Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director Date: July 30 2009 No: 1411 Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director
Senator Dodd's Senate Subcommittee held confirmation hearings for Aaron Williams to become the 18th Peace Corps Director. "It's exciting to have a nominee who served in the Peace Corps and also has experience in international development and management," said Dodd as he put Williams on the fast track to be confirmed by the full Senate before the August recess. Read our exclusive coverage of the hearings and our biography of Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams.



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Pekin Daily Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - China; Education; Primary Education; Third Goal

PCOL45341
94


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: