Eurasian Teachers in Chico for Six-week Teaching Seminar
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2003
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Eurasian Teachers in Chico for Six-week Teaching Seminar
The School of Graduate, International and Sponsored Programs at California State University, Chico, is hosting Excellence in Teaching, a six-week professional development seminar for teachers from Eurasia during summer 2003 for the second year.
Thirty-two teachers from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are here to learn about approaches to teaching in the United States. In addition to seminars in education, the hosts of the program have many cultural activities planned for them.
The seminars will focus upon developing the critical-thinking skills and learner-centered teaching styles that are the “hallmarks of excellence in teaching,” said Diana Parks, program director. Participants will have many occasions to meet with U.S. colleagues and experts in their fields of interest. Parks is setting up an opportunity for U.S. teachers attending summer school at CSU, Chico to meet with the Eurasian teachers.
The format for the six-week program will be presentations by topic-area experts, to be accompanied by workshops and/or small group discussions led by secondary school teachers.
CSU, Chico faculty participating in the program are Robert Kohen, Curriculum Development; Peggy Dufon, English as a Foreign Language Methodology; Dale Steiner, American History; Mark Morlock, Economics; Anita Fernandez, Literature and Democracy in Schools; Curt DeBerg, Students in Free Enterprise; and John Cannan, Grant Writing.
“The social and cultural activities that introduce the teachers to American life,” said Parks, “are an important part of the cultural exchange that takes place during the six weeks of the program.” Activities include Fourth of July activities, a home stay, a progressive dinner, a trip to Lassen National Park and Shasta Caverns and a visit to the Chico downtown farmer’s market and Friday night concerts in the park.
At the end of the program the teachers will participate in a teacher conference in South Carolina to be followed by a tour of New York City.
If you are interested in meeting these teachers, contact Diana Parks, program director, at 530-898-6049.
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