Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools May/June 2015 | Page 6

Discover China Day gets thumbs up from UCPS students

Facilitator, who helps organize the event, said the
day offers a unique opportunity for students to
experience a culture very different from their own.
“The kids get that sense of, ‘This is someone
who lives in China and I don’t have a lot of
experience interacting with these people in my
world.’ They’ve been very respectful. They’ve
listened very carefully. They’ve been very kind.”
Students were shown a tea ceremony, different
types of tea and were able to sample Chinese tea.
Nate Crouse and Ryan Pallone, both 13-yearolds from Marvin Ridge Middle, seemed to enjoy
the tea ceremony, learning the traditional way of
serving and drinking it.
“The tea has a flavor you can’t describe,” Crouse
said. “It’s really good.”
Gabe Spera, a seventh grader at Marvin Ridge
Middle School, said he enjoyed the entire day. “The
tea was hot but it tasted pretty good. The paper
cutting was pretty cool. The day’s been pretty fun. I
liked it.”
Students learned how to fold several shapes
with paper and then cut the paper into various
images, both of which are ancient and modern
traditions in China.
Landi Radiner, a 12-year-old Parkwood Middle
School seventh grader, said she really enjoyed the
paper cutting session. “I fold and then cut these
and make various shapes,” she said, holding up the
panda and Chinese letter she had already made.
In another session, students learned about
Chinese ink painting, which is valued for the
Ryan Pallone, a 13-year-old Marvin Ridge Middle student, is taught the traditional
way of serving and drinking tea by Lin Zhu during Discover China Day held recently at
creations that result from just black ink, paper and
Marvin Ridge High School.
a brush.
Students learned basic painting strokes and
When offered hot tea in China, there is a right way and a wrong
were then able to take home their own paintings.
way to serve and drink the tea.
Students also had a session with Chinese dancer, Xizhou Zeng, who
About 180 Union County Public Schools middle and high school
spoke about traditional Chinese folk dance. She performed the peacock
students had the opportunity to learn the proper etiquette of this
dance and then
long-standing Chinese tradition, as well as other things about China’s
taught students how
culture and its people during Discover China Day.
to do the dance.
This annual event, which featured presenters from the Confucius
“I am going to
Institute at Pfeiffer University, is an effort to increase awareness of
teach students some
China through exposure to its culture, language, history and people.
basic movements and
Confucius Institute at Pfeiffer University professor Weihong Yan,
basic hand gestures
the institute’s director, said this year’s event, held at Marvin Ridge High from the peacock
School, marks the fifth year it has been presented to UCPS students.
dance,” she said.
“Our mission at the institute is to promote Chinese language and
This annual event
culture,” Yan said.
is organized by the
“We are here to open their minds. It’s a very good program and
Confucius Classroom
students can learn a lot about China,” Yan said. “We try to make this
Consortium of Union
fun for students. I can see the expressions on their faces. They are
County Public Schools
Landi Radiner, a 12-year-old Parkwood
fascinated by the culture and seem to be having fun learning.”
through support from
Middle School seventh grader, cuts paper
During the daylong event, students rotated through four sessions:
the Asia Society,
into various shapes during Discover China
folkdance, ink drawing, the tea ceremony and paper cutting and folding.
Hanban and the
Day held recently at Marvin Ridge High
Students from six schools participated in the event: Marvin Ridge
Confucius Institute of School.
High School, Weddington High School, Cuthbertson High School,
Pfeiffer University.
Cuthbertson Middle School, Parkwood Middle School, and Marvin
---This article was written by Deb Coates Bledsoe and provided
Ridge Middle School.
courtesy of the Communications Office of the Union County Public
Each school was invited to send up to 30 students.
Schools.
Donna Podgorny, the UCPS World Languages Instructional Content
4 • Mar/Apr 2015 • Parent Teacher Magazine