Monthly Archives: February 2019

02.22.19
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TNCS Hosts Second Group of Students from China in 2019!

As mentioned in an Immersed post earlier this month, The New Century School hosted a second group of school-age Chinese children for a 2-week stay. All from Beijing, Jiaxuan Bai (“Tracy”) and her sister “Elisa,” Jiaming Jin (“Michael”), Junze Ma (“Frank”), Chuxuan Zhang (“Alice”) and Jiran Li (“Mia”), escorted by Elisa and Tracy’s grandmother,  Shuling Zhang, arrived Saturday, February 9th and depart on Saturday, the 23rd. Their first day of school at TNCS was Monday, the 11th, and TNCS students couldn’t wait to meet them, having had such a nice time with Lucy, Meg, Tiger, and Tiffany during the preceding 2 weeks.

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Once again, Candace Moore was the group’s Exchange Coordinator, and she gave them an orientation on Saturday in their Airbnb, followed by a trip to the grocery store. Sunday was a rest-and-relax day and a chance to adjust to the new hours. On Monday, school closed due to inclement weather in the greater Baltimore area, so Ms. Moore took the group shopping at Target and Five Below (city roads were clear, so driving was safe within the city). Their excitement and wonder to be inside those two Hallowed Halls of Worldly Goods are quite evident!

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At The New Century School

On Tuesday, their routine began. They would arrive at TNCS by 8:30 am, attend assigned classes including such specialty classes as English as a Second Language, Music, Art and others, have school lunch, and return to their Airbnb for dinner. Tracy and Alice, both going on age 12, and Michael, age 14, all joined Mrs. Madrazo‘s middle school classroom. Elisa and Mia, ages 8 and 9, respectively, joined Mrs. Biancaniello‘s 2nd- 3rd-grade class room, and Frank, a 4th-grader, joined Ms. Sharma’s 4th- and 5th-grade classroom. They participated in lessons, in-class activities, and the odd walkabout!

No visit to TNCS is complete without a cooking session, and this one was no different. Li Laoshi likes to use Chinese class time on Fridays to do something fun, culturally fun, and so each class made Chinese noodles from scratch. The prize noodle was made by Michael!

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Students also got to try their hand at bucket drumming with TNCS strings teacher Yoshi Horiguchi, another activity that is quickly becoming de rigueur at TNCS (see videos of Yoshi bucket-drumming with some of last-year’s visitors here).

Other Activities

The group’s visit coincided with the Presidents’ Day holiday, so they had a 4-day weekend to sightsee in and around Baltimore during their stay. On Friday, the 15th, accompanied by some of their TNCS friends, they played indoor laser tag and mini-golf at Monster Mini Golf in Parkville, which was a huge hit. The next day they traveled to Washington, D.C. to see the White House, among other important U.S. landmarks. On Sunday, they toured the Baltimore Museum of Art and ate at TNCS’s favorite Chinese restaurant, Orient Express. On Monday, the 18th, they visited the National Aquarium and walked around the Inner Harbor.

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The students got unexpected breaks from the classroom as well. A second inclement weather–induced school closing happened on Wednesday, the 20th . . . this time with 5 glorious inches of snow blanketing the ground! When it snows in Baltimore, kids head in droves to Pagoda Hill in Patterson Park, as our Chinese friends soon learned—they couldn’t believe how many of their TNCS friends were there!

They enjoyed sledding very much, a special treat, as snow in Beijing is a rarity. After their escapades in the snow, they visited TNCS Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director Jennifer Lawner’s house for an afternoon of games and some fun in the kitchen.

Interview with the Group

On their last day at TNCS, Immersed was lucky enough to sit down with the four older children (Michael, Tracy, Frank, and Alice, in the order shown left to right below) to hear firsthand about their experience. (Elisa and Mia were occupied in class.) It should be noted that both Tracy and Alice have been to the United States before, having come with their parents who came to expand their work in medical research. Tracy lived in Washington, D.C. for 2 years in 2015, attending Stone Mill Elementary during that time, and Alice in Boston for 1 year, attending Pierce School. The interview is transcribed below—you will see some clear themes emerging!IMG_2066.jpg

Immersed: Why did you want to come to study at TNCS?

Tracy: Because I wanted to see what the people my age are doing, like, how they study.

Alice: Because the air is fresh and I can play in the playground.

Michael: I like America.

Frank: Because the air is fresh, and everything is so good so I can study better. Also, the food is better than at my school in China.

Immersed: What did you think of TNCS? Did you notice anything different about TNCS from your school?

Tracy: TNCS is great. I like the teachers; they’re nice to me. When I have questions, like about a word I don’t know, they’ll explain it. What is different in my school, after lunch, we get into the classroom and start working on our homework because we have so much. We don’t have recess.

Alice: I think TNCS is very good. We can play in the playground. I notice that he homework is not too much.

Michael: It’s very good. The students in my class were very nice to me and want to be friends with me. The teachers are good, too. What is different is that it’s so active in the classroom.

Frank: [Holding up two thumbs and two big toes] What I like is the same as the other answers.

Immersed: What was your favorite activity outside of school?

Tracy: I like spending so much time outside. I liked the aquarium.

Alice: I liked the aquarium, too. The art museum.

Michael: Visiting the Aquarium and the White House.

Frank: Going to Target and Five Below!

Immersed: What are your hobbies?

Tracy: Skiing, ice-skating and making crafts.

Alice: Ice-skating and making origami.

Immersed: Did you go out to eat anywhere?

Tracy: My grandmother usually cooked dinner, but once we went to a place to eat chicken. While we are in school, Candace takes her shopping and to see things. She takes a lot of photos outside like the sculpture of the blue crab.

Immersed: Okay, last and most important question—what was your favorite food?

Tracy: Tacos! Candace might take me to Taco Bell tomorrow for lunch.

Alice: French fries!

Michael: Pizza!

Frank: Hamburger, fries, pizza, juice!

Farewell, Friends!

As has become the tradition, TNCS hosted a closing ceremony with speeches of thank-you’s from both hosts and guests, presentation of certificates, and snacks.

TNCS was so honored to have you and will miss you, Tracy, Elisa, Michael, Alice, Frank, and Mia! Please stay in touch Bǎochí liánxì (保持联系)!

02.15.19
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Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2019, TNCS Community!

The Chinese Lunar New Year is a favorite annual celebration at The New Century School. In 2019, Chinese New Year officially began on February 5th, 2019, and ends on February 19th. The occasion is subdivided into phases, however, with the so-called “Little Year” having started on January 28th and lasting until February 4th (New Year’s Eve). The “Spring Festival” ran from February 5th through February 15th, and the “Lantern Festival” phase begins February 16th and ends February 19th.

This is The Year of the Pig (猪—zhū)—a most auspicious animal representative, as pigs with their chubby faces and big ears are symbols of wealth in Chinese culture, despite their reputation for bringing up the rear.

Pig Zodiac Sign

According to the website Chinese New Year.net:

The Pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept. Another story says that a wolf destroyed his house. He had to rebuild his home before he could set off. When he arrived, he was the last one and could only take twelfth place.

Pigs might not stand out in a crowd. But they are very realistic. Others may be all talk and no action. Pigs are the opposite. Though not wasteful spenders, they will let themselves enjoy life. They love entertainment and will occasionally treat themselves. They are a bit materialistic, but this is motivation for them to work hard. Being able to hold solid objects in their hands gives them security.

They are energetic and are always enthusiastic, even for boring jobs. If given the chance, they will take positions of power and status. They believe that only those people have the right to speak, and that’s what they want.

Celebrations at TNCS

Although every Chinese New Year is special, this year stands out thanks to some very special guests from China. Tiger, Lucy, Tiffany, and Meg and their parents joined the TNCS community for 2 wonderful weeks of fun and cultural exchange (see more about their visit here).

Although Chinese New Year represents “out with the old, in with the new,” so wearing new clothes, often in red, is common practice, February 5th just happened to coincide with Pajama Day as part of TNCS’s Spirit Week.

Red Pockets

TNCS students did observe other Chinese New Year traditions including the always-popular “Red Pockets”! These delightful red envelopes known as hóng bāo (红包) contain “lucky money,” which is to help get the recipient off on the right foot in the new year. At TNCS, Wei Li (“Li Laoshi”) has her older students pass out hóng bāo to the preprimary and primary students (who don’t mind a bit that the yuan inside are counterfeit).

Dumpling Making

If there’s one thing TNCS students absolutely love to do, it’s make—and eat—jiǎozi ( 餃子), dumplings! On the first day of Chinese New Year, they were led by their Chinese friends’ parents, which was an added treat.

The Performance

On the first day of Chinese New Year, TNCS students and their Chinese guests collaborated on a very special performance of singing, dancing, and playing instruments.

These videos are presented to you in the order of the show. Prepare to be seriously wowed.

It was such a wonderful way to start off 2019 . . . or, rather, the year 4716. No matter how you count your years, this Chinese New Year at TNCS will be remembered for a long time to come!

For past years’ celebrations at TNCS, see:

02.08.19
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TNCS Hosts Four Elementary Students from China!

As mentioned in last week’s Immersed, The New Century School takes advantage of the 2-week holiday many Chinese have in the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year by hosting special programs and inviting various groups to TNCS. For the Year of the Pig, first came a group of six university students, eager to take home innovative education ideas, followed by the topic of this week’s post, four students and their parents.

In the English–Mandarin Classroom

The purpose behind this second visit was some cultural exchange—immersion in an English-speaking classroom for the Chinese students for 2 weeks, and a chance for TNCS students to practice conversation skills in Mandarin with their visiting friends Lucy, Tiger, Tiffany, and Meg. All students took full advantage of this rich opportunity to increase their language proficiency.

The outgoing and adaptable quartet meshed immediately with their new schoolmates. Lucy and Tiger were welcomed into Mrs. Sharma’s 4th- and 5th-grade homeroom, Meg joined Mrs. Biancaniello‘s 2nd- and 3rd-grade class, and Tiffany joined Ms. Shaffer‘s K/1st-grade classroom.

As you’ll readily see in these videos, the model of native-speaking peers teaching learners of a language really works.

Their parents, Meghan (Meg’s mom), Yang (Lucy’s mom), and Zhuo and DeKai (Tiffany and Tiger’s mom and dad) toured TNCS and were often on campus, visited various sites around Baltimore, including a tea date at Teavolve, and made satellite trips to Washington, D.C. and elsewhere.

Field Trip to the Maryland Science Center

tncs-hosts-chinese elementary-studentsIt must be said that having the visitors in class for 2 weeks meant that TNCS students got a bit of a holiday as well. In addition to making balloon animals and doing other fun activities that helped cement relationships and increased the number of opportunities for relaxed (and therefore authentic) communication, they got to go on an extra field trip during that time to the Maryland Science Center!

They started on the top floor and made their way down, in general, getting their science on! They visited all of the interactive exhibits with placards in English and in Spanish, including the Bed of Nails—a huge hit, even with the teachers!

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Next, they got to do a cycle of experiments in the Science Lab: DNA Extraction, Polymer Properties, and Mystery Mixture.

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Visiting Friends’ Homes

One big part of any cultural exchange is the experience of what family life is like in the host culture. On one occasion, Lucy and Meg and their mothers spent part of an afternoon with the Horvaths. Over a leisurely luncheon, lots of fascinating conversation took place—even a little vocabulary game of naming Chinese zodiac characters in Mandarin. Lunch was catered by Orient Express, the best Chinese restaurant in Baltimore and conveniently owned by a TNCS parent!

After lunch, all four children disappeared upstairs to play games.

It was a wonderful afternoon—a great time was had by all!

Closing Ceremony

Although this post cannot possibly cover all the amazing experiences that our group of TNCS and Chinese students shared together, the closing ceremony that marked the end of the visit is a must-see. (And, don’t worry, All of the fun had on Chinese New Year will be the topic of next week’s Immersed, coinciding with the final day of the 2-week Lunar New Year celebration.)

TNCS Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director Roberta Faux started things off with a lovely speech.

From there, TNCS students took the stage to pay tribute to their new friends.

Next, it was the guests’ turn to take the stage.

Megan’s tribute speech sums up their visit, including what a wonderful experience it was, how grateful they are to have had it, how she believes that the immersion experience is profoundly valuable and effective . . .  and how badly her daughter Meg did not want to leave! Most importantly, she expressed how happy the children were during the whole visit and how excited to come to school every day. There’s no better compliment!

After Lucy, Tiger, Tiffany, and Meg were presented with Certificates of Participation and TNCS tee shirts, Señora Duncan closed the ceremony with another lovely speech. Guests then mingled, had some snacks, and gave goodbye hugs.

Farewell, Dear Friends

TNCS students were sad to see them go, but plans are in the works for keeping in touch with Lucy, Tiger, Tiffany, and Meg, who will always be remembered by TNCS!

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(Psst! We also have the very good fortune of welcoming a second group of Chinese students starting February 11th, which an upcoming Immersed will detail, so stay tuned!)

Update 2/15/19: Meghan (Meg’s mom) also wrote a blog about the experience that you can read here. Although it is in Chinese, anyone can appreciate how beautiful it is, and the positive feedback is very evident!

02.01.19
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TNCS Hosts Interns from China!

In China, the weeks leading up to the Lunar New Year, culminating on February 15th this year, are generally a time off for many Chinese. For the past few years, The New Century School has hosted many visitors from China coinciding with this break, with 2019 seeing the largest overall numbers of visitors yet (see last year’s visit here).

As Guest Teachers at TNCS

The first group comprised six university students, who clearly wanted to have a good time in addition to learning about TNCS’s unique educational approach. They had fun and made sure everyone around them did as well. Yanfei Wang (“Fei Fei”), Xinyu Liu (“Stella”), Leyi Jin (“Xiao Jin”), Jun Zhou (“Abbie”), Ajing Wang (“Janice”), and Shuyin He (“Shu Yin”) all came from Shanghai, being students at Shanghai Normal University, and they made a very lasting impression on TNCS students as well as the families who opened their homes to them.

Their visit started with an orientation presented by their Exchange Coordinator (“handler”), Candace Moore, who, though having only very recently joined TNCS, jumped in with both feet—as well as her extraordinary organizational skills—and made sure their visit went smoothly. She also gave them a presentation on Social_Emotional Education, her specialty. After that, into the classrooms they went!

 

TNCS students fell immediately in love with their six new friends, and the sentiment was very much reciprocated. They played lots of interactive games together, including math games, Go Fish!, and a Chinese New Year character game. The interns lavished attention on the students and shared their wealth of talent, too.

As Guests in a Host’s Home

The Eib family once again generously hosted and played their roles, as always, graciously and with a desire to expose the interns who stayed with them (Fei Fei and Xiao Jin) to as much U.S. culture as they could during their brief visit. They were also kind enough to share their experience (and their photos!) with Immersed. During the school week, the interns joined in, cooking and eating together (mmmmm . . . hot pot . . . ) and experiencing family life.

During any school breaks and on weekends, they explored Baltimore and made satellite trips to neighboring cities. In Baltimore, they toured Penn Station, Federal Hill on a cold and windy day, Hampden, and downtown Baltimore at night. They dined at various restaurants and stopped in at Hampden’s must-have ice cream shop, the Charmery. (“We had ice cream almost every day!,” joked Mr. Eib). They went to Annapolis to see the Maryland State House and the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Philadelphia was next to meet up with a friend and see Reading Terminal Market and City Hall.

They also traveled by train to Washington, D.C. to see Union Station and the National Portrait Gallery and have bubble tea and the famous double patty burgers at Kramerbooks and Afterwords in DuPont Circle. However, it just so happened that this trip took place during the historic government shutdown that lasted 35 days, so the interns got to know American government in an entirely unexpected way.  “We got to experience the government shutdown firsthand,” said Mr. Eib. “Everything was closed, including the National Portrait Gallery—thus the long faces siting outside. Instead we went to the Phillips Collection and saw Xiao Jin’s favorite painting!”

 

Farewell, Dear Friends!

On their last day, January 25th, they gave TNCS students gifts and thank-you cards.

 

Abbie also kindly shared her thoughts on the experience:

It was super great luck for me to have been given the chance as an intern in such a nice school so as to interact with the loveliest students and the greatest teachers. Through my internship at TNCS, my scope of knowledge was expanded as I was able to apply what I acquired at TNCS back to China. Also, I was eager to learn firsthand several advanced and innovative teaching methods in a multilingual school such as:

  • Differentiated Instruction, as I saw every teacher give special tasks to each alternating group.
  • Cross-Age Mentoring, as I attended the class in which 4th- and 5th-grade students came to read stories for those who are at 2nd grade. (I really love this part!!)

Another big thanks to the amazing school headmaster, teachers of all grades, and teachers who gave presentation to us, which led us to a brand new world of how to develop emotional intelligence and how to give authentic praises. Also, putting ourselves in students’ shoes, I think, is probably the best way to be more attached to students.

Thanks to brilliant and truly outstanding students in TNCS, too. It was always a pleasure coming to school with them, so lovely and willing to explore.

Last but not least, I would like to thank aftercare teachers for their patience, staff for preparing healthy and delicious meals, and my five close friends as a group for their cooperation. I remembered the first day when I came to aftercare classes, I happened to meet three 1-year interns and saw how they communicate with kids with love and care.

Less is more. Two weeks for us student-teachers was brief, but the activities which teachers offered were quite full and meaningful. We attended ELA, Art, Math, Science, Chinese, Global Studies, PE, Music, and Spanish. In this independent school, we were glad to help mentors at class and check homework after class. We even had the first overseas teaching experience to share our Chinese culture (especially the Spring Festival) with students all over the world. Thus, more connection is coming.

Not only was it an unforgettable experience to meet kids from 1st to 8th grade, but I was lucky enough to stay with Calvin Eib’s family as well. “Cultural Shock,” which I heard from one of my friends actually didn’t happen at all. Honestly, I enjoyed every minute with my host family and every person at TNCS.

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning. Hopefully we’ll meet next time! Thank you so much! Gracias! 谢谢! By the way—WELCOME TO CHINA!!

TNCS will miss you six wonderful women!
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