Visit to China inspires faculty

In fact, "I'm really looking forward to the school year," she said.

She's eager because of a summer conference she and others from St. Clement's participated in. Mrs. Barker, three teachers, the principal and a school board member traveled to Beijing, China, for the seventh annual I*EARN (the International Education And Resource Network) Conference.

Linking world

I*EARN has facilitated educational and development projects since 1988, pioneering an interactive approach to using educational technology by encouraging students to actively contribute to, rather than just passively surf, the internet.

Initial pioneering programs were created in the United States and the former Soviet Union to demonstrate that telecommunications technology can both enhance learning and create on-line global communities.

Connections

"Our children got excited about the packages they received from Greece," she said.

Similarly, meeting with educators from around the globe was one of the highlights of Mrs. Barker's July trip to China. She met teachers from Latvia, Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia.

While the educators come from different cultures and speak different languages, they shared one thing in common. "The teachers were all very dedicated," Mrs. Barker said. "They all were concerned for their students to do their best. They were wonderful people."

Interaction

"The teachers from the Third World countries are so poor," she said. "They don't have what we have. For many, it was a great challenge for them to get [to the conference]."

In addition, many of the teachers live in countries ravaged by civil wars. "I interacted with teachers who feared for their lives," she said. "When they leave for school in the morning, they don't know if they'll make it home that night."

Mrs. Barker returned from China with a deeper appreciation for the United States. "The feeling I came back with is that in the United States, we are so blessed," she said. "It's a wonderful country."

Into practice

"We'll be reading a lot about Chinese culture," she said. "We'll be studying morality tales and food, and we'll be flying kites."

While in Beijing, participants in the conference had the opportunity to see the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Peking Opera, Chinese acrobatics, and traditional painting and calligraphy.

Mrs. Sullivan noted that the people of Beijing spend a lot of time outdoors. Much entertaining is done outside in the evenings, from simply walking around to dancing. She plans on sharing her impressions of Beijing with her students.

School projects

"There are so many things we can teach the children," said Mrs. Barker. "There are so many projects to be involved in."

(To learn more about I*EARN, visit www.iearn.org.)

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