Submitted by urci on
On November 17, 2018, Dr. Xie Mianmian, the Director of the Cultural Department of the Confucius Institute at Edmonton and the President of the Chinese Teachers Association of Alberta, Canada was invited by the Confucius Institute at the University of Regina to present lectures for local Chinese teachers.
The morning lecture entitled "Chinese Curriculum Promotion and Development of Overseas Chinese Teachers," Dr. Xie Mianmian pointed out the necessity and feasibility of teacher's awareness of curriculum promotion and development, citing examples from Chinese education in Edmonton, Canada. There was a lively discussion afterwards on how to cultivate and establish teachers' awareness and beliefs in curriculum promotion, and how to enhance the sensitivity and consciousness of curriculum promotion among teachers and administration. Dr. Xie Mianmian emphasized that the key to success in overseas Chinese teaching is the promotion of courses. It is the professional responsibilities of each overseas Chinese teachers and institution managers to continue working on how to attract students into our classrooms, how to maintain and enhance the students' interest in Chinese language and culture that they would also inculcate the positive message to others.
In the afternoon session, Dr. Mianmian and the teachers exchanged opinions on how to boost students learning and appreciation of Chinese language through creative learning and innovative teaching. While watching the display videos of the student's creative works, everyone could feel the happy atmosphere in Dr. Mianmian's Chinese class and the passion in both the students and the teacher. During the workshop, the participants also experienced games such as how to learn numbers through self-created wraps, how to learn character writing through hip pop. The teachers commented that Dr. Mianmian's creative learning methods fully stimulated and reflected the students' initiative in learning Chinese, and provided great inspiration for learning/teaching thought playing.
During the lecture, Dr. Xie Mianmian also shared to the teachers the contents of the 13th International Chinese Teaching Seminar and the first World Chinese Seminar of Peking University that recently concluded in Beijing. The teachers also discussed their concerns and questions they encountered in teaching. After a full-day face-to-face communication and discussion, the participants felt that the workshop was very inspiring and benefiting.
There were about 20 teachers from local Chinese schools, Education Departments, Chinese Program and the Confucius Institute at the University of Regina, the Confucius Institute at the University of Saskatchewan attended the training.