Chinese Teachers Observe English Education at Elkridge School

By Andrew Metcalf

Two small black buses with tinted windows pulled up to Bellows Spring Elementary School on Tuesday morning. 

The new principal, Harry Walker, described it as almost Secret Service-like. But the passengers weren't lawmen, they were Chinese teachers from Shanghai visiting Howard County for the day to observe English classes.

The full group was supposed to be 20 teachers, but only 18 made it to Bellows Spring after two got sick the night before. The coordinator of the group, Michael Chen, said they were adjusting to the food, and the heat here in the United States.

The group of teachers from Shanghai is in the midst of a two-month tour of schools in the Washington DC area to learn about the American education system.

On Tuesday, they were separated into small groups and brought to a variety of classrooms at Bellows Spring to observe students in 2nd through 5th grade taking comprehensive summer classes in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program.

Gavin West, the director of the summer program, said the program is designed to help local students whose first language is not English catch up with their peers.

Howard County Public Schools has been working with Chinese educators since Sydney Cousin, the previous superintendent of Howard County Public Schools, was invited to China to learn about their education system. He returned with signed documents that began the school system's international program, according to Min Kim, the international and family services coordinator for Howard County Public Schools. 

"Our new superintendent, Dr. [Renee] Foose, is interested in developing international partnerships, especially with top school districts around the world" said Kim. "These teachers are from Shanghai, which is one of the top performing school districts in the world." 

Chen, of Forte International Exchange Association, said Chinese educators put a high level of importance on English education.

"Every Chinese teacher wants to learn to teach English well," said Chen.

He said every Chinese student in Shanghai is required to learn English. Students in Shanghai begin learning the language in elementary school and continue until they graduate from high school, according to Chen.

Chen said he was surprised that only about 800 students went to the elementary school.

"In China, we'll have maybe 2,000 students in the same size building," said Chen.

Chen Jiyan, the teacher who is leading the group, said through a translator that the Chinese teachers are interested in learning the American way of education as well as how to connect the community with the school.

Earlier this week, Jiyan said they visited a Prince George's County evening school where teachers had on-site daycare for their kids, which she said would be helpful to have in Shanghai. She said that in Shanghai many teachers leave their kids in the hallways while they teach and are concerned about them. She said having on-site daycare would solve that problem.

In one classroom, with 2nd graders, three Chinese teachers sat amongst the kids as the teacher, Ms. Brower, taught the students words like "propeller" using a poem and drawings. The Chinese teachers watched attentively, one took a picture of the white board.

Chen said so far the favorite place the teachers visited was Annapolis, but that their favorite part of the trip is meeting the kids.

"All the teachers love the kids," said Chen.