Thursday's Activities

Thursday's Activities

Today, I visited the largest elementary school with very nice facilities--good ideas for Rossford. I really liked the use of glass in sections of the walkway. As you view my photos and the many I am bringing back, you will notice that due to China's dense population, the buildings are similar to high rises. Most of them have a courtyard with a soccer and running track with gorgeous landscaping and much focus on taking care of the gardens. Students clean the classrooms. Every school has ended between 4:30-5pm. The majority have after school activities.

Tomorrow, I will be flying to Shanghi and then back to the USA. See you next week!

Farewell Dinner

This is a picture of my farewell dinner on Thursday night with Fang, Secretary Lee (the party leader), and Mr. Jong.

Cafeteria

Their cafeteria looks a bit different from ours.

Food Service in China

This school serves food to students in grades 1 and 2. Julie, here is your food service team in China!

Student from South Africa

This student was my escort for the school. He is from South Africa.

After School Activity

A dance performance at an after school activity.

Campus Fountain

How about this beautiful fountain on the campus!

More Exercise Time

Morning Exercises

This is the playground at the school I visited on Thursday. There are 1400 students doing their morning exercises. After their exercises, they get planned recess.

More Gifts!

A gift from the principal today. It is a book like they used to use in the past.

O-H-I-O

Climbing the great wall. We had to repeat the Ohio signature!

Wednesday's Activities

I visited another school today. I enjoyed classes on writing, dance, flag marching, science and math. It has been such a treat to sit in on classes, observe teaching and have great interactive discussions with the students. They are both excited and shy to see me. Once the first couple of questions begin, they just start rolling. I have been impressed with just how interested the students are in global issues, our schools, our students, and how our teachers teach. It is great fun to watch just how animated the students are with each other when working in groups. Children are children all over the world.

The teachers I have met also have a genuine commitment to their students and to improving their craft. It is evident that the teachers understand that learning is not just book, lecture and memorization. They are engaging students in doing project work. Another important aspect of the observations has been the early immersion of English. The scope of the country-wide focus on learning English is staggering.

Another thing that has struck me is the sheer number of cranes and just how rapidly China is growing its infrastructure, education, and economic systems!

The principal and assistants provided lunch for Fang Qi and me at another very nice restaurant. I sent a picture of the unusual fish dish with a laced net made from a carrot.

Fancy Fish

One of the dishes at lunch today--fish laced to look like a net made out of a carrot!

More Flowers

My third bouquet of flowers since I have arrived to visit Fang and other schools in her area. I am getting very spoiled.

Learning to Write

I visited a writing class and learned how to write with ink and a brush.

Elementary Grounds

This elementary school had its own garden, track (not shown) and additional space for play and basketball.

Practice Makes Perfect

A class practicing their flag ceremony.

Tuesday's Activities

I visited another elementary school today. I was very impressed with classroom teaching. The teachers have incoporated cooperative learning and project learning. It is not just rote memory that we may have perceived. Class sizes range from 45 to 52 students. The school had art, music and physical eduation incorporated in their daily schedule. Selected students and teachers met with me and asked questions. They were very curious about how hard American students work. The typical schedule for elementary school is 7:30/8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fang Qi's school ended at 4:30 p.m., whereas today's visited school ended at 5:30 p.m.

There is much rigidity with behavior and planned exercise and play tme. However, they have incorporated limited free time twice a day for 15 minutes. They do not use bells. Instead, they use music between class changes. The school principal shared a video of the school life of teachers and students. They gave me the CD to bring back and share with you.

Later today, we met up with the other Ohio administrators and Chinese partners and cruised on the rivers in Wuba.

Tomorrow is another visit to a school.

One striking difference between the Toledo area and the cities I have visited in China is there is much new construction. Everywhere I look, there are cranes and workers building.

Gifts for the Family

I gave Fang's husband an Ohio State hat and a red,white and blue marble from the Toledo Art Museum. They are wonderful hosts!

Dinner with Fang Qi and Family

Fang Qi, her husband, and family cooked a special dinner at their home for me.

School Theme

The principal's school theme, "Let us Smile," is similar to Eagle Point's theme.

Game for Rossford Students

The students gave me a jiam zi game for each of our elementary schools to play with.

Dr. Lang with Elementary Students

Another elementary school in Fang Qi's area.

Fang Qi’s School Welcoming Day

Today was unbelievable! I was welcomed by the students and three huge banners. The school went the extra mile to make me feel welcome. We began the day with an opening ceremony. The students gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and their red scarf, which is part of their school symbol. They sang their national anthem, saluted to their flag and sang their school song--a daily routine. Following this activity, a teacher and student did an interactive lesson on manners. Today's lesson was on the proper way to eat rice. They try to emphasis character and moral education each morning.
Next, in the reception room, they shared a PowerPoint presentation about their school. Fang Qi’s head of education was present. I shared a PowerPoint presentation about our schools beginning with our national anthem (Lisa has a copy). Included in our presentation is our high school choir singing the Rossford alma mater.
Later, I visited a math class, an English class and a physical education class. I was most interested in their after school activities. The elementary schools begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. Most students go home for lunch, however, some eat in their classrooms.
Later in the day, I met with parents, teachers and students. We had an informal Q&A. The students asked many good questions. Then, I was interviewed by the media, which was televised on the local TV station.
I ended the day with a yoga class with some of the teachers. Anyone with negative perceptions about Eastern food-let me tell you–the food is tremendous!
Thanks for keeping up with me on this awesome learning opportunity!

Dr. Lang Presenting City of Rossford Proclamation

This is Fang Qi's superintendent (director) Mr. Yang. I am presenting him with the proclamation from Rossford's major and city council.

Yoga Class

I may have missed Dawn Haas' step class, but I joined a yoga class in Fang Qi's school after school. These are some of the teachers that I joined for yoga.

Welcome Dr. Lang

One of three welcome signs for me.

Elementary Physical Education Class

This is an elementary physical education class taught during school--Marshall Arts.

After School Activity

This is one of the many after school activities; similar to our CLC at Glenwood Elementary School

Gifts for the Family

I gave a buckeye jersey and buckeye candy to my host family members.

Welcome Friends from the West

A local man gave me a handwritten Chinese old saying letter welcoming friends from the West.

Competition for Rossford

A little competition for Rossford's band and music teachers. This was a show using a replication of chu culture ancient bells. The bells and stone marbles sounded beautiful.

Visit to the Museum

The Ohio administrators with the exchange administrators at the Hubai Museum.

Fishing on East Lake

The big walleye in China. Miles of men fishing on East Lake in Hubai.

Hubai Garden

A peony garden in Hubai.

The Wedding Crashers

Call us "the wedding crashers." At the restaurant on Sunday, there were two weddings taking place. They allowed us to view the ceremony.

Dr. Lang and Fang Qi

Fang Qi and I at the Yellow Crane Tower in Hubai, which is her city.

Temple of Heaven

Today after visiting the Temple of Heaven, we drove to the airport. The groups departed to different provinces(states)of China for their partner stay. The Ohio group flew to Hubay. Fang Qi greeted me with a bouquet of beautiful fresh flowers. Everyone left with their exchange adminstrator. Fang Qi had two of her English teachers greet me with her to assist with interpretation. Her school has a "secretary." Secretary Lee is her assistant that serves the communist party. Secretary Lee and her husband opened their home and had a dinner for me. The homes are typically 2 bedroom apartments. They have provided me with a hotel stay while I am visiting Fang Qi. Tomorrow is Sunday, and the majority of the day will be sightseeing.

I will send a picture of Fang Qi and me!

Visit to the Great Wall of China

Today we visited the Great Wall. Yes, I climbed it! It took us two hours to get to the site from our hotel. Tomorrow we travel to our exchange district. They will greet us at the airport and take us to their home. I am very excited to see Fang Qi!

Traveling by Pedalcyclist

Visits to Various Attractions

Yesterday, we visited two schools; one public school and very elite, the other a private, poor migrant student school. Today, we visited Beijing University and listened to a professor. After eating lunch at the university, we headed for the Pearl Market. Later, we visited the Hutton area, which is a site approximately 300 years old; pedalcyclists took us to the Hutton village. The roads are too narrow for cars and buses. We ate in the home of an artist. The home was very primitive but the food was fabulous. We walked to the Opera House Market. There were so many vendors selling roasted pigeons, snakes, grasshoppers, seahorses and other non-appetizing food to Americans. It was a good day. Tomorrow, we are traveling to the Great Wall.

Migrant School Visit

Migrant school students in Beijing. We visited two schools today. This is a top-rated public school grades 7-12. The facilities were magnificent! This picture is in a private school grades 1- 8. The top picture is our group of administrators.

Ministry of Education Visit

Today we met with the Education Minister, similar to the U.S. Arne Duncan. He gave a presentation on China's educational reform. We had an opportnity to ask questions. I asked about special education students. The response is they realize that this is an issue, but at this point, they do not have plans for changing. However, they feel it is important to add morale education and art and music--only for the city students.

They served us lunch, and then in the afternoon we visited the Forbidden City. We walked 178 acres. For dinner, we went to a duck restaurant. They cut the head off right before us.

Tomorrow we are listening to other top administrators of education to learn about management of education, then visiting schools in the afternoon.

Pangliu School

Dr. Lang visits Pangliu School...

Sightseeing: Ohio Salute from China

Hot springs where the emperors bathed. I had to lead a "buckeye" chant.