November 5, 2004
Purdue offers opportunity for teachers interested in East Asia
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Middle school and high school teachers interested in teaching about East Asia can receive as much as $1,000 in funding and materials in return for a $20 seminar registration fee.
The seminar, which provides teachers an in-depth understanding of China, Korea and Japan, will be offered at Purdue University from Jan. 11 through March 22. The class will take place on Tuesdays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Teachers who complete the seminar will receive:
• a $500 personal stipend,
• $200 in textbooks and resources on East Asia,
• a $300 grant to their school to purchase East Asian resources and
• eligibility to apply for a study tour to East Asia.
Teachers also will have the option to purchase three graduate credits in history.
Seminar instructor Sally Hastings, associate professor of history, said the seminar will feature a tea ceremony and several guest speakers.
"In addition to history, we'll cover such topics as East Asian landscape, Chinese art, folk tales and even Japanese cartoons," Hastings said. "We'll also take a glance at U.S.-East Asian relations."
Previous seminar participants also will share the instructional units they have developed on East Asia.
Hastings said teachers who enroll in the seminar will benefit from personal insights sparked by their immersion into different cultures.
"Gaining an understanding of any culture other than your own will help you understand whatever other culture you have to deal with at any given moment," Hastings said.
Marcia Ritchie, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Wea Ridge middle school in Lafayette, Ind., who attended the seminar in 2000, said she enjoys sharing information about China with her classes.
"My students seem to enjoy doing Chinese calligraphy the most," Ritchie said. "They also like to eat noodles and rice with chopsticks, find their Chinese zodiac symbol and research a dynasty of their choosing."
Ritchie said she was glad she took the opportunity to travel to China with other teachers who enrolled in the seminar.
"I consider my trip to China to be the highlight of my teaching career since it has provided me with a new source of information, interest and motivation," Ritchie said. "Seeking out more opportunities to travel to Southeast Asia is my latest goal, and continuing to share my experiences in China brings continued pleasure. What a gift this course of study has brought me personally and professionally."
The seminar is funded by the Freeman Foundation, whose goal is to make information about East Asia an integral part of American education. The Center for East Asian Studies at Indiana University serves as the seminar administrator, which is sponsored by the Purdue Department of History.
The application deadline for the course, which is available to 30 teachers, is Dec. 15. A class syllabus, instructor information and application can be downloaded.
CONTACT: Hastings, (765) 494-4150, sahnolte@purdue.edu; Ritchie, mritchie@tsc.k12.in.us
Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web site:
East Asian Studies Center
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