I am very excited about traveling to China this summer. This trip is sponsored by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, in conjunction with the East Asian Studies Center at Indiana University. Funding for this study tour is made possible through the generous support of the Freeman Foundation. The foundation is committed to increasing, strengthening, and popularizing the teaching of Asia in U.S. classrooms.
I will travel with twenty teachers from various states. During the three-week trip, I will visit some spectacular cities, such as Beijing, Xi'an, Dali, Kunming, Lijiang, Zhongdian, and Shanghai. I have always wanted to visit the Great Wall of China. I am also excited about visiting many schools in China. In early May, I participated in a live teleconference with teachers in Shanghai, and I am already learning so much about the Chinese educational system.
China has a population of 1.32 billion--which is 1/5 of the world's total population. China will soon become the number one English-speaking country in the world. It has a landmass of 3.7 million square miles, next in size only to Russia and Canada. The Communist Party is the country's sole political party in power.
My trip begins June 14, 2009. I will post frequent blogs and photos during my trip. If you will be an 8th grader at BMS during the 2009-10 school year, this blog is an EXCELLENT way for you to prepare for 8th grade Social Studies. Feel free to post questions about China, and I will answer them during my trip.
