Four expatriate teachers, from a variety of educational sectors throughout China, give their individual perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of teaching there. Their reflections from long-term experience provide helpful insights.
Professor Wang provides her views about expatriate, Christian teachers in China followed by the guest editor’s commentary on the key issues she addresses.
Expatriate teachers went to China to give. But often they ended up taking more of China with them than they had bargained for. The editor of ChinaSource Quarterly gives several suggestions for how to be a good reciever.
A brother in China shares from personal experience about one summer that taught him the value of being prepared.
Anyone who has spent time teaching English in China will no doubt be familiar with English Corners. Love 'em or hate 'em, they are a staple of life for teachers of English.
Shortly after we moved back to the States after living in Asia for many years, a Chinese researcher from a major university in China approached us asking if he could spend his last month in the US living with us. It wasn’t that his lease had expired or his stipend was running low. Rather, he realized that although he had lived in the American Midwest for a year doing research at a well-respected American university—he had experienced very little of American life and had very few non-Chinese friends.
The good folks at the Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University recently published the results of a survey they conducted among Chinese university students. If you are working with Chinese students in the United States, it is a must-read.
Education is a major issue for cross-cultural workers who serve overseas with their families. Most families choose to put their kids in an international school, a local school, or to homeschool full-time at home. All of these have their pros and cons.
First, let me confess that I am not an expert on China, nor have I lived in China. My exposure consists of supporting New Song’s in-country program director while working remotely from the US. Twice a year for 6-8 weeks at a time I travel to China for direct interface with those Chinese nationals who are trained and equipped to implement self-worth development curriculum. Through these committed community leaders New Song has impacted children and youth across China with what I believe is a culturally relevant and biblically based message of the intrinsic value of every individual. As a Westerner, my knowledge of China is shaped by this sliver of a window into Chinese culture and the church in China. It is more exposure than the average Westerner but not as much as some of you who read this blog.
Dissatisfied with the current educational system and wanting their children to be taught from a biblical worldview, Christian parents in China are exploring a variety of alternatives. In the latest episode of ChinaSource Conversations we explore these alternatives in Christian education with three educators who have firsthand experience with schools in China.
Gift giving is tricky in any culture—even our own.
A church finds a way to minister to families facing the stress of the gaokao, the Chinese national university entrance examination.