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Dr. Jim Gantt (Department Chair, Social Studies) and Ms. Mary Kay Koerner (Department
Chair, Foreign Language) travelled to China this past summer, along with
other members of District 115 and District 67, to begin preparation for the
introduction of Mandarin Chinese into the Grades
4 - 12 curriculums. The purpose of the trip was to observe first-hand the Chinese
educational environment and to develop a deeper understanding of the Chinese
culture. Dr. Gantt’s and Ms. Koerner’s airfare was paid for by a
grant from the LFHS Foundation.
It was an invaluable experience to visit the Chinese schools and observe first-hand
how Chinese children are taught. One of the first things the Lake Forest delegation
noticed was the number of students in the classroom. In China, the typical class
size is about 50 students. “This dictates a very different teaching approach
than what we are accustomed to here,” said Dr. Gantt. “Classes in
China are very teacher-directed providing very little opportunity for interaction
and individual attention. It was immediately apparent to us that we will need
to work with the Chinese teachers who come to Lake Forest to help them transition
to our smaller class size. Understanding this, so early in our planning, will
help us develop a plan to ensure their success once our Mandarin program is underway.”
The LFHS program will go beyond learning the Mandarin language.
Both Koerner and Gantt want to help LFHS students make the cultural
connections as well. “We have an opportunity to open our
minds to the Chinese culture,” said Ms. Koerner. “Our
visits throughout the country helped us to develop an appreciation
of the Chinese people, their history, traditions and customs. Our
new understanding goes far beyond what we could have learned from
a text book. We are now in a much better position to ensure that
this exciting, new initiative will not only expose our students
to the Mandarin language but will also give them a broader cultural
experience as well.”
To find out more about the LFHS Foundation and the programs they
support, click here. |
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