Addresses all FWSU Action Plan Targets:
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Student-Centered Learning
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Leadership in a Student-Centered Learning Environment
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Flexible Learning Environments
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Engaged Community Partners
Throughout the course of this school year, grade one students have been learning about Traditions Around the World. As part of this exploration, our students recently had a unique opportunity to learn about China with Ms. Xiang.
Ms. Xiang is a teacher in our school from China. She joins us as part of the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) which is sponsored by the State Department. Ms. Xiang is teaching a high school Mandarin class and teaches Mandarin as one of the 5th and 6th grade Unified Arts options. An additional goal of the TCLP is that exchange teachers also do outreach activities to introduce the Chinese language and culture to students who are not in their official classes.
Ms. Xiang was thrilled that the first-grade team invited her to introduce the Spring Festival to their students. In China, the Spring Festival is a period of time from the first day of the Lunar calendar to the 15th day on the Lunar calendar.
Ms. Xiang shared about the customs and traditions of the Spring Festival in China. For example, it is traditional for adults to give red envelopes with money inside to children.
Ms. Xiang also taught the first grade students that it is traditional in China to cook two dishes for the Spring Festival feast, but to eat only one of the dishes. They save the other dish for at least three days, this symbolizes prosperity.
For a craft activity, Ms. Xiang showed the students how to make a fish out of walnut shells. In China, the fish represents saving money because the Chinese character for fish is pronounced the same as the character for when families have savings.
In each classroom, the first grade students were very engaged and asked many questions after the presentation.
Our students and staff are appreciative of this opportunity to connect with Ms. Xiang, to engage in creating Chinese artwork, and to learn about her culture. We hope Ms. Xiang will continue to connect with students and staff throughout the remainder of her time at BFA Fairfax.
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Tom Walsh
BFA Fairfax Elementary School Principal