Dr. Marsha Chapman received an opportunity that was to good to pass up ? to go on a sponsored week-long trip to China to teach a group of college graduates the finer points of the English language.
‘How could I say no?? said Chapman, who teaches at Oxford High.
The students she taught were Chinese college graduates who were entering Master Programs at Michigan State University next spring.
‘It was an extraordinary opportunity,? Chapman said. ‘Certainly, it was anxiety-producing because I had no knowledge of the culture, beliefs, values, people, but I couldn’t say no. It just seemed like a rich opportunity of learning for me.?
According to Chapman, the main focus for the week was how to write a strong persuasive essay, as well as looking at grammar usage and mechanics and practicing the writing process.
‘Not knowing the students, I began at the paragraph level and worked up to multiple paragraphs very quickly,? she said.
At the week’s end, she had the graduates working on a five-paragraph persuasive essay. The reason that she was able to teach at a quicker pace was the fact that the graduates brought in previous knowledge of the English language. ‘Given that, they were ready to look more at structure.?
She would teach the morning classes, then Superintendent Dr. Willam Skilling would teach the afternoon session.
One of the similarities she noticed about the Chinese school is the dedication towards gaining knowledge and learning, just like in her classroom at OHS. ‘It resembled young people interested in gaining knowledge in school . . . they were very interested in learning how to get this rhetorical structure down.?
One of the things that awed her was the emphasis on the family. She noted that everyone stopped for lunch everyday so they could eat with their family.
‘Whole families were assembled on weekdays. You saw grandparents, babies and toddlers among those gathered around the table. Meals were very important. As they gathered for the meals, you saw great interest in each other, a lot of laughter, enjoying each other’s company?
She noted that in America, we sometimes skip lunch altogether or just grab something on the go in order to get back.
Another aspect that she found astonishing was the amount of bicycles being rode.
‘We were told that the bicyclist was honored first, then the car driver, then the pedestrian . . . you needed to mind the traffic signs.?