Tianjin schools warmly greet local educators

TIANJIN, CHINA
Schools across Tianjin rolled out the red carpet for a delegation of educators from the Tech Valley Region of New York State on Tuesday. The group – representing Capital Region BOCES, Questar III BOCES, Tech Valley High School(TVHS), Schalmont, Schoharie, Schodack, Catskill and Cobleskill-Richmondville schools -- met with educators in three high schools and an elementary school.





Schodack School Superintendent Bob Horan presents a book to Hexi No. 18 Kindergarten Principal Ms. Li Xiaonhong.



At Tianjin High School, the delegation discussed expanding the current agreement, while officials with the other New York Schools were dispatched to schools across the fourth largest city in China (with a population of 11 million), to create their own partnerships.

At Tianjin, school officials announced plans to send another delegation of students to TVHS in January, following up on a delegation they sent last February and delegations TVHS sent in 2010 and 2011. 

Members of the delegation pose with Tianjin HS No. 41 school officials in the lobby of the school.



To be an international school is very important to us,” said Mr. Xu Changqun, principal of Tianjin High School No. 41. “We want to learn foreign language to learn foreign culture.”

Earlier in the day, the entire 18-person contingent was greeted by hundreds of smiling three-,four-, five- and six-year-old students at Hexi No, 18 Kindergarten, another of Tianjin’s elementary schools.

Students perform morning exercises for delegation.



There, Schodack School Superintendent Bob Horan discussed with Principal Ms. Li Xiaonhong the process of creating a telecommunication agreement – a modern day pen-pal pact between the elementary school students in his district and students in Hexi.

“This has been a tremendous opportunity for our schools,” said Questar III Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Diana Conroy.

As part of the fact-finding mission of the trip, the New York educators learned about China’s dedication to giving its youngest children a jump-start on their education.



Xanu _ Hexi kindergarten student presents a gift to delegation members.



“It is our philosophy that kindergarten education does not mean only educate the kids, but educate the parents,” said Li. "You start pre-school programs at the age of two, but the Hexi school starts exposing youth and their parents even before they turn one through Sunday gatherings at the school."

“All future success  depends of the foundation established in the early years. It’s very clear that you value creating a strong and lasting foundation,” said Capital Region BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Kathryn Gerbino.