Professional News

UK Confucius Institute Hosts Fourth Chinese Teacher’s Conference

photo of attendees at 2016 Multi-State Chinese Teachers’ Professional Development Conference
A group of 154 Chinese teachers coming from 24 U.S. states attended the 2016 Multi-State Chinese Teachers’ Professional Development Conference presented by the UK Confucius Institute.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 22, 2016) University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI) hosted its annual Multi-State Chinese Teachers Professional Development Conference Nov. 11-13, as part of its efforts to grow and develop Chinese educators’ teaching skills and foster internationalization at the University of Kentucky.

A group of 154 Chinese teachers from 129 public schools in 24 U.S. states attended the conference. The participants enjoyed of a wide variety of talks presented by keynote speakers including author and foreign/second language educator Helena Curtain whose speech was about the importance of creating a deep and rich Chinese curriculum.

“The UK Confucius Institute initiated this Multi-State Chinese Teachers Professional Development Conference in 2012, the first in the world,” said Huajing Maske, director of UKCI and executive director of the Office of China Initiatives. “Since its first huge success in 2012, the UKCI has received special funds from Hanban every year to organize this conference.”

UKCI has trained 480 Chinese teachers from 26 different states, according to Maske. “The UK Confucius Institute has become the Chinese Teachers Training Center in the southeast and southwest United States,” she said. “This not only serves the Chinese teachers but also increases UK’s visibility in the U.S. and in China.”

In addition to the conference speakers, the Chinese teachers had the opportunity to split in groups to do various activities and attend conference workshops that would help them develop and enhance their Chinese language-teaching skills.

The workshops featured different topics such as classroom management strategies for elementary classes, classroom management and discipline with adolescents, engaging activities for K-12 Chinese classrooms, and actualizing backward design in Chinese language classrooms, among others.

“Not only were the participants very pleased with the training workshops that are highly practical and inspirational, but also they were impressed by the thoughtful and detail-oriented organization of the conference,” Maske said. “Participants said they were very impressed with UK’s ‘state-of-the-art’ facility and the beautiful campus. Some of them have expressed interest in coming to UK to pursue graduate studies later on.” 

The conference this year took place in Gatton College of Business and Economics’ newly-built Kincaid Auditorium and in other study rooms in Gatton.

A gateway for Chinese language, culture and art to the people of Kentucky, UK Confucius Institute provides leadership, support and coordination for Chinese language and programs in K-12 schools as well as on UK's campus; assists and facilitates establishing and maintaining faculty and student exchanges between UK colleges and Chinese universities; conducts Chinese language and cultural exchange; and promotes education about China on campus, across the Bluegrass region, and throughout the Commonwealth. To keep up with UK Confucius Institute and future events, join the institute's listerv and follow them on FacebookTwitter and Snapchat (UKConfucius).