China Teachers Program

Pete and I went to a Family Home Evening in Provo, Utah on Monday, June 10.  It was for all the new China Teachers who were in the area and available to attend the activity.  We had lots of fun and were able to meet the couple that will be serving with us in Chengdu.  Our first impression of them was good.  I think we'll like each other.  A dinner was provided and we learned some things about the program.  Here are some of the things we learned: 

First, according to The China Teacher's Web-site, since the program’s inception in 1989, almost one thousand teachers have taught more than 175,000 students at over forty five universities in China.

Second, The Program Goals as stated on the web-site are:

• To provide instruction in English and selected content areas to affiliated Chinese universities for the enrichment of Chinese university students,
• To build academic and cultural ties between BYU, the Kennedy Center, and Chinese universities, in order to promote mutual understanding and trust, 
• To provide an opportunity for CTP teachers to absorb the ancient and modern culture of China, to enable them to develop friendship and respect for their Chinese students and the People's Republic of China
• To provide Chinese students with an intimate and extended exposure to American teachers to increase their awareness of America.

Here are all the school that BYU works with in China now.  I learned at the Home Evening that many of the teachers had requested the school they wanted to teach.  One of the couples even took a trip last year checking out all the schools to make sure they got the right location for themselves.  That made me a little worried.  

• Beijing: Peking University, China Foreign Affairs University
• Chengdu: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
• Tianjin: Tianjin University, Nankai University
• Jinan: Shandong University, Shandong Normal University
• Qingdao: Ocean University of China, Qingdao University
• Shanghai: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University
• Nanjing: Nanjing University, Nanjing University of Technology
• Xi’an: Xi’an International Studies University, Northwest Polytechnic University, Xi’an Jiaotong University
• Guangzhou: South China University of Technology, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies

I learned that Elder Oaks was the visionary for the senior couple China Teachers' Program which began several years ago. Twenty percent of couples sign up to teach for a second year, but a third year enlistment is not allowed.  However, one couple managed to get an interview with Elder Oaks for special permission to go a third year.  They then requested a fourth year and he said "No."  So, they worked directly with the university in China and went a fourth year without the help of BYU.  

My hope is to make it through one year!  It was fun to hear all the positives from those that had been before! It was also fun to ask and get answers.  

The evening was really fun for us and we enjoyed meeting other teachers that will be traveling to China as teachers.