News from Scholars' Academy

Dr. Peine's Pen

A China Experience

CITIES
The cities in China are huge and tall. Everyone knows that China is the world's most populous country, but when you're there, it goes from the abstract news fact to the "I'm in a huge place with lots of people" concrete experience. And the cities are TALL too. Mile after mile of multi-story residential buildings (taller by far than our center city condo towers) in every city we visited. The cities where Ms. Hu and I spent time were: Taiyuan, Beijing, and Shanghai, with some side trips to older, historic places. If there is a downturn in the construction industry, it is not evident in China. In every city, there were construction cranes everywhere. All forms of public transportation, taxi, bus, subway, train and airplane are plentiful and well used. A special treat was riding the maglev train at 300km per hour to the airport in Shanghai. Private transportation - cars, scooters, bicycles, foot - are everywhere as well, and pedestrians have the right-of-way if they move quickly. On the city streets, if you are in a car, there is a special kind of merging mantra that looked to me as if two lane roads/highways always had three lanes of vehicles. There is also lots of horn beeping, but we saw very few accidents. While in Taiyuan we visited the ancient city of Pingyao, the home of Qiao Tia Du - the first financier in China, and the Shanxi museum - one of the best I have been in. Our side trips in Beijing included the Olympic venues the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall. We also visited Hanban, the sponsoring organization of the Confucius Institutes. In Shanghai, the city where Ms. Hu grew up, we spent an afternoon in the Shanghai Museum of History, went to a traditional Chinese market, shopped and had lunch in old Shanghai, and spent an evening along the high tech, glorious waterfront. From Beijing to Taiyuan is 518 km, Taiyuan to Pingyao is 103 km, Beijing to Shanghai is 1252 km. Our three cities will show up later in this experience as they relate to FOOD and SCHOOLS. So let's move on to...

FOOD
I have on occasion asked Ms. Hu, "Where can I get real Chinese food in Charlotte?" She is always very gracious, but now I know the answer to that question is that you cannot. I had food items that I never see on a restaurant menu in Charlotte. Untold varieties of fungi were part of every delicious meal we had. Even the style of eating is different. In the South we would call it family style - sort of, but it was more of a communal experience with multiple dishes, hot and cold, that appeared at the table in stages and were shared by all. The flavors and flavorings were subtle, spicy, succulent, and savory. In Taiyuan (Shanxi Province) the specialty was noodles cut in a variety of ways ( and this especially unusual vinegar); in Beijing, small flour pancakes, shaped and cooked in a variety of ways; and in Shanghai, rice. All of it was exceptional, especially the Peking duck in Beijing. What follows then is...

SCHOOLS
We visited three schools; Number 2 Penglai Road Primary School and principal Ping Ji, The Affiliated Primary-Middle School of Shanghai University and principal Chong Ying Zhou, and the Affiliated Middle-High School of Shanxi University with principal Suzhen
Yang. The school day varies by age (all figures are generalized) with primary students at school 8:00 - 3:00, middle school students 7:45 - 4:30 to 6:30, and high school students even longer. Students who are in a major exam year - from middle school to high school and high school university - have even longer days. Teachers have 40 to 60 students per room - and no discipline problems. Classes are 40 minutes with a 10 minute unsupervised break between classes - and again no discipline problems. Families understand that education holds the key to an improved life so students follow the rules of behavior and academics. Children are in school to learn. Exams at each level determine to which level a student moves next, so if you aren't serious, you don't pass, and students are not allowed to create situations in which other students are not able to learn. Students are also responsible for the cleanliness of their classrooms and the school in general. Spending time in these schools with dedicated administrators affirmed my understanding that schools are institutions with the same goals - helping students learn and be successful, no matter where the school might be located or the national political perspective. We shared educational experiences and philosophies and visited classrooms to the enthusiastic reception of many students and staff. Our sister school is the middle school section of the Affiliated School of Shanxi University in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province. Principal Suzhen Yang and her staff were very gracious and enthusiastic about our visit. The school has 2,000 students in grades 7, 8, and 9. There are 250 teachers with a total staff of 300. Teachers graduate from a teachers university and have a major in a content area - no elementary education studies there. Principal Yang is highly respected principal. She has been at the Middle School for 11 years. During her time at the school the pass rates for the exam to high school have gone from 27% to 95%. Her staff says she is successful because she works hard, studies, and understands her school. She and I agree that education is the most challenging task of any nation.

I am happy to share my experiences in more detail with members of our school community. Please ask me about China.

Parents of 6th grade students should be aware that children at that grade level are required to have the TDAP immunization prior to October 20. Students who do not provide proof of immunization by that date will not be permitted to attend school until the process is complete. This is a North Carolina requirement. If you do not do immunizations, you must sign a waiver to that effect.

The school calendar has been updated - please check the website.