Workshops

In February 2017, EEI cooperated with Hunan Wispring Education Development Foundation, an organization committed to the empowerment of rural education in China, and organized the first Education Exchange Workshop in US. This first workshop comprises of visiting primary and middle schools in Florida, attending trainings and lectures by education experts, exchanging educational ideas with American schools and families, as well as experiencing American lifestyle.

Visiting Schools

Seven principals were selected from rural primary and middle schools in Hunan Province located in central China. They visited nine primary and middle schools in Florida, including Boulware Springs Charter School, P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, Idylwild Elementary School, Lake Forest Elementary School, Cornerstone Academy in Gainesville City, Archer Elementary School in Archer City, High Springs Community School in High Springs City, Oak View Middle School in Newberry City, and Chiefland Elementary School in Chiefland City.

Among all the schools, there are eight public schools and one private school, with grades from kindergarten to 12^th grade and diverse educational settings, including P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, which is well-known for its innovative teaching methods, and Cornerstone Academy, which explores the mode of education based on the connection between church, school, and home. Principals from rural China closely observed the classroom teaching and interaction in every grade and communicated with American principals. They learned from American schools the teaching in classes as well as the management of schools and had a deeper understanding of the primary education in US.

Chinese principals observe a class in Archer Elementary School.

Kay Abbitt, co-founder and co-director of Boulware Springs Charter School, shares her thoughts on education with Chinese principals.

An exhibition titled Wild China displays the works by students in Chiefland Elementary School.

A reading room in Oak View Middle School. American schools’ emphasis on reading has left a deep impression on Chinese principals.

“The most impressive part of US education is that students are at the center of the education of every school. Education is based on the needs of students and cares about humanity. Students are nurtured in a warm and safe environment and every one of them is loved.”

Principal Lijun Huang, Peach Blossom River Primary School, Taojiang County, Yiyang City

“Every type of school and every stage of education have put students in the center, taking into consideration the difference in students’ individual characters. American schools are good at ensuring the comprehensive development of students and not just the academic performance of them. Through this, education can return to its original motive.”

Principal Quan Zhao, Qi Jia Ping Town School, Yuanling County, Huaihua City

“The most impressive characteristic of the classes in American schools is equality and freedom.”

Principal Shenggang Hu, Cool Well Town Middle School, Yuanling County, Huaihua City

Training by Education Experts

Difference of Education Concept between China and US

Professor Danling Fu

School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida

Dr. Fu is Professor in the area of literacy with a specialty in writing and literacy instruction for new immigrants. She has had extensive experience of working in high poverty low performing K-12 public schools in New York City populated with new immigrant children and youths, among whom 250 languages are spoken. Working in NYC school districts, Dr. Fu was involved with literacy program development, reform, adaptation and implementation to meet the needs of those students with little home support. She has been a consultant across the nation: giving keynote/feature speeches and workshops to school districts in many states, and working closely with classroom teachers in search of effective ways to improve the outcomes of low achieving students. Recently she has given speeches and workshops on ELLs issue in several Asian countries.

In addition, she has had extensive experience with working with communities and families of new immigrant families. She serves on Distinguished Advisory Committee of NYC Urban Teacher Institute, the National Advisory Board for the CUNY-New York State Initiative on Emergent Bilinguals and on the Advisory Committee for English language learners of Pearson Publishers and American College Testing (ACT). In addition, she is a member of NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Elementary Steering Committee and program chair of Division G at AERA (American Education and Research Association). She was column-editor of National Association of Bilingual Education Journal, and serves on the review boards of five top journals in the field such as Reading Research Quarterly and Language Arts. Her scholarly and inservice work has been published as five books and over eighty chapters, journal articles and book reviews. At the university, she teaches language arts methods course for diverse learners to preservice teachers and conducts seminars on Literacy, Family, Culture and Composition Theory and Practice to graduate students.

Dr. Fu is the first recipient of Scholarship of Engagement Award in the UF College of Education, won UF COE Graduate Teacher of the Year award in 2007. She was presented with an honorary doctoral degree of Humane Letters by DePaul University in Chicago and an honorary Professorship by China Women University and Jingling College, Nanjing University in People’s Republic China due to her outstanding scholarly and service contribution to the improvement of literacy education for immigrant children and English language learners and research in writing in cross-cultural contexts.

How to Develop a Good Teacher

Dr. John Fielding

Dr. John Fielding has been working in the field of education in Florida for decades. He has worked as a teacher for 14 years and as principal for 20 years. In the first Education Exchange Workshop, he brought his own experience and focused on how to interview, recruit and develop good teachers.

Redirecting for Cooperative Classroom

Kathryn Kvols

A “catalyst for creating healthy relationships” is the best way to describe Kathryn Kvols. Kathryn has worked with thousands of teachers, nurses, counselors, childcare workers, and parents, presenting keynote addresses, workshops, and classes. Large organizations have sought Kathryn for her inspiring keynotes and workshops such as Burger King, NAYEC, the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner’s Association and the American Montessori Society. She was invited to speak at the World Peace Conference in Costa Rica, and interviewed as an expert for the PBS Documentary, “The Children are Watching”.

Kathryn is adept at creating safe learning environments through her heart-felt speaking style, her sense of humor, and insightful observations. Her workshops are interactive, and her audiences walk away with practical tools they can implement immediately.

Kathryn is the president of the International Network for Children and Families, a worldwide parent-training network that teaches her life changing course, “Redirecting Children’s Behavior”. The course teaches skill-building strategies to families. They emphasize teamwork, creating win-win situations, and effectively avoiding power struggles using kind-but-firm methods promoted by Dr. Alfred Adler and Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs. Kathryn has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Social Work with a minor in Education from Concordia College in Minnesota.

Kathryn has published many books including Redirecting Children’s Behavior, Parenting Guidelines, Understanding Yourself and Others, and Success Strategies for Family Meetings. She has developed several courses such as Redirecting Children’s Behavior, Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom, The Family Empowerment Series, and The Love Course, etc.

Exchanging Educational Ideas

Presentations on rural education in China

Principal Huang shares her understanding of rural education in China from her own experience.

What do the classrooms in rural schools in China look like? Who are left-behind children? What are the similarities and differences of educational ideas in China and US? Two principals from China, Lijun Huang and Shaoqing Feng, answered these puzzling questions for American families. Sharon from an American family also shared her personal experience of home school and her understanding of education.

Dinner with Chinese students studying in US

More and more Chinese students have spent 4 years in universities in China and one more year in American universities. Why did they choose to study in US? What are the difference of education in both countries from their own experience? Visiting students who major in education shared their thoughts and experience.

Meeting the scouts

Sending their kids to scouts is very popular among American families. Through activities such as camping, hiking, and fundraising, children learn to be independent problem-solvers. The principals from China met a 12-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister who were fundraising for scouts by selling their home-made cookies.