Teaching About Asia - September 2009

Teaching About Asia Newsletter

September 2009

If you are seeking a professional development opportunity this fall that provides free teaching and resource materials, LAUSD multicultural salary points or USC Continuing Education Units and a $500 stipend, then sign up for our USCI/NCTA Fall 2009 "East Asia Since 1800" seminar at UTLA.  Over nine sessions, participants will learn about social, economic and political transitions in China, Japan and Korea from the nineteenth century to the present.  Download, complete and return the seminar application here - applications will be reviewed and participants accepted upon receipt.

Do you use technology in your preparation and teaching?  If so, check out what fellow educators have to recommend in the "Teachers' Tips on Technology" section below.  Those looking to broaden their education online can also explore East Asia through online courses offered by Primary Source and Columbia University's newly launched "Asia for Educators" website.

Please share this newsletter with your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe (go to our newsletter subscription page and select the “K-12 Education” subscriber category).

In this issue:

♦  USCI/NCTA Fall 2009 "East Asia Since 1800" Seminar at UTLA  ♦
♦  Teachers' Tips on Technology  ♦
♦  Learning Resources and Opportunities for Teachers  ♦
♦  Learning Opportunity for Students  ♦
♦  Museum Exhibitions on Asia  ♦
♦  Teachers on Asia  ♦

♦  USCI/NCTA Fall 2009 "East Asia Since 1800" Seminar at UTLA

The USC U.S. – China Institute (USCI) and the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA) are offering a NO-COST professional development opportunity open to all interested K-12 educators.

Enrollment is limited to 24 participants and priority will be given to high school world history and language arts teachers, though all K-12 educators are invited to apply. The deadline for application acceptance is Friday, October 9, 2009 or until the seminar is full.  We will begin admitting participants upon receipt of applications.

Sessions will meet at the UTLA Building on seven Tuesday evenings from 5:00 to 7:30 pm and two Saturdays from 10 am to 3:30 pm.  For these meeting days, participants will be provided with free parking at the UTLA building, as well as complimentary refreshments.  

As part of the seminar curriculum, participants are required to attend "Images of East Asia," a one-day workshop on visual cultures on Saturday, December 5, from 9 am to 4 pm.  Addition information will be provided upon seminar enrollment.

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♦  Seminar Content

Focusing on helping teachers address the California history, social studies, and language arts standards, we will offer presentations on the history and culture of East Asia, as well as discuss how case studies can be used to explore a variety of issues.

Sessions include discussions of primary source materials as well as literature and film recommendations.

Among the topics covered will be:

Geography / Premodern China, Japan, and Korea
(philosophy, social structure, key institutions)

19th Century Domestic and External Challenges

War, Revolution, and Nation-Making

Economic Development and Social / Cultural Change

Relations with the United States

21st Century Challenges and Opportunities

Web Research / Web Collaboration

 

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♦  Seminar Schedule

 

Fall 2009 USCI/LAUSD “East Asia Since 1800” seminar October 20, 2009 to February 2, 2010
Date	Time	Presentation
1.     Tuesday, October 20, 2009	5 to 7:30 pm	Intro/Geography
2.     Tuesday, November 3, 2009	5 to 7:30  pm	19th century China
3.     Tuesday, November 10, 2009	5 to 7:30  pm	1900-1949 China
4.     Saturday, November 21, 2009	10 am to 12:30 pm    1 pm to 3:30 pm	1949-1976 China    1976-present China
5.     * Saturday, December 5, 2009	9 am to 4 pm	“Images of East Asia” one-day workshop    (mandatory for seminar participants)
6.     Tuesday, December 8, 2009	5 to 7:30  pm	Meiji Restoration Japan
7.     Tuesday, December 15, 2009	5 to 7:30  pm	Japan to 1945
8.     Tuesday, January 12, 2010	5 to 7:30  pm	Contemporary Japan
9.     Saturday, January 23, 2010	10 am to 12:30 pm    1 pm to 3:30 pm	Korea to 1945      Korea since 1945
10.   Tuesday, February 2, 2010	5 to 7:30  pm	Conclusion

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♦  Seminar Benefits

Individuals who successfully complete the seminar and its follow-up requirements receive:

⇒  $500 stipend

⇒  $200 in East Asian reference and teaching materials

⇒  Two LAUSD multicultural salary points OR six USC Rossier School of Education Continuing Education Units (CEUs) (processing fee applicable for CEUs)
 

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♦   Seminar Location

 United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) Building
3303 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010
Map and Directions

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♦   APPLICATION DOWNLOAD AND SUBMISSION

 

 

DOWNLOAD the USCI/NCTA 2009 Summer Residential Seminar Application Form in:

⇒ Microsoft Word format (.doc file)

⇒ Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf file)

 

 

 

In addition to the completed application form, you will need to submit:

1. A short 1-2 page resume (curriculum vita) that includes a list of your educational and work experience
2. A letter from your school principal confirming your teaching assignment
3. A refundable deposit check for $50, made payable to "University of Southern California," to hold your registration; the check will be returned to you at the conclusion of the seminar

 

Submit application materials:

By MAIL
USCI Fall 09 Seminar at UTLA
USC U.S.-China Institute
3535 S. Figueroa St., FIG 202
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1262

By FAX
(213) 821-2382

By E-MAIL
asiak12@usc.edu

♦  Teachers' Tips on Technology

 

 

 

•  Eduardo Hernandez, History - Take a virtual trip!

"I like to do virtual field trips using a projector and a side show of images of a particular city or museum. It helps the students experience museums and art when they are not able to go there on their own. They can also be used as assessment tools during an examination, like how any Art History professor would require students to able to identify and describe an image. Students also like the fact that information is being presented visually and they can make their own independent connections."

•  Julie Hou, Chinese - Host your own web forum!

"...Moodle.org is an open source and free of charge constructive community of learning... As long as your school administrators and school district have given you an OK, you will be happy to use them for your classroom forums, quizzes, essays, assessments and other cool functions."

•  Mark Shadonix, History - Watch (educational) TV!

"Livestation.com... is an incredible free website. I've personally checked it out and downloaded it, and I have been amazed by how well it works and what's available to view from around the world. It allows you to view local news from places like Moscow, Baghdad and Tokyo... in the native languages and in English. It is shown on a small(ish) 'TV' on your computer, but it includes a list of many TV and radio stations from around the world. You may not enjoy it as much as I have, but I think that you'll probably find it pretty amazing."

•  Josephine Cheng, Math - Give animated quizzes!

"BrainPop.com is a very useful site. I have used it for some of my Mathematics lessons as a concept introduction/review for my students. This site uses a robot and a human man to present the idea in little animated clips. The clips are usually short (2-3 mins) and capture the main ideas. After the clips, a 10-question quiz is followed... Besides Mathematics, they have other subject matters, specifically, social studies. Although the site requires a subscription, you are allow to have a free trail for a month."

•  Josehua Rauh, Language Arts - DIY online!

"Teaching technology is a tricky thing for teachers. We all have different comfort levels with our computers and peripheral devices. It is, however, expected that we integrate technology into our curricula. Technology can also be used as a media to introduce East Asian material to our students in any content area. I am a resource teacher and I teach building Power Point presentations, pod casts and films in my class because students are expected to do these things in their English and History classes. I am developing a multimedia project for my students using East Asian content to practice these multimedia skills. It is called 'Marketing Chinese Philosophy.' If I have peaked your interest, check out the project page at www.mrrauh.com!"

 

♦  Learning Resources and Opportunities for Teachers

 

•  Columbia University - Revised Asia for Educators website

 

Columbia University has relaunched its Asia for Educators website, which includes new and revised content, as well as links to many new online resources developed by other academic institutions and museums.  

 

Along with a revised module on "The Song Dynasty in China: Life in the Song as seen through a 12th Century Scroll," the site also contains a new section of primary resource selections, with brief introductions and questions for discussion, which were drafted by National Consortium for Teaching about Asia seminar directors and guest lecturers.

 

•  Primary Source online course - "The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China"

 

Primary Source is now offering an entirely online professional development course on Ancient China.  "The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China" will be offered three times during the 2009-2010 school year and is open to K-12 educators nationwide.  A combination of content and teaching ideas, participants in the course will have direct access to scholars online.

Detailed information on the course can be found here, and an online "tour" of the course can be taken here.

•  National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) - 89th Annual Conference

The National Council for the Social Studies will hold its 89th Annual Conference on "Dreams and Deeds: The Civic Mission of Schools" from November 13 to 15, 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center and Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

More than 3,000 educators from across the U.S. and around the world will share the most current knowledge, ideas, research, and expertise in social studies education. This year's theme highlights the central role of social studies in schools: preparing young citizens to make a better world.  Additional conference and registration information can be found here.  

•  California Council for the Social Studies (CCSS) - 49th Annual Conference

The California Council for the Social Studies' 49th annual conference on "K-12 Social Studies: Laying the Foundation for a 21st Century Workforce" will be held from March 5 to 7, 2010 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA.

This year's theme is purposefully selected to provide participants with the content, skills, and resources to prepare students to become responsible citizens and competent workers in a highly technical, global society.  Featured Keynote Speaker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will present "On the Shoulders of Giants: Empowering Students to Learn, Achieve, and Serve."  Additional conference and registration information can be found here. 

♦  Learning Opportunity for Students

•  Stanford SPICE - 2010 Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP)

The Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) will offer its Reischauer Scholars Program for high school juniors and seniors for summer 2010.  The RSP annually selects 25 exceptional high school juniors and seniors from throughout the United States to engage in an Internet-mediated course on Japan from February to June 2010.

The RSP provides students with a broad overview of Japanese history, literature, religion, art, politics, economics, and contemporary society, with a special focus on the U.S.-Japan relationship. All students who successfully complete the course will earn 3 units of Stanford University Continuing Studies (CSP) credit and a Certificate of Completion from SPICE, Stanford University.  Additional program information and applications can be found here. 

♦  Museum Exhibitions on Asia

 

•  Fowler Museum at UCLA - Steeped in History: The Art of Tea

 

Dates: Through November 29, 2009

Location: UCLA north campus; enter at Westwood Blvd and Sunset Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m.; Thursday until 8 p.m.
Admission: Free
Education department: 310-206-5663

Uses magnificent art from three continents and many centuries, including rare Chinese ceramics and paintings, 18th- and 19th-century Japanese ceramics and prints, extraordinary English and Colonial American paintings, historic photographs and documents, tea-serving paraphernalia and furniture from many countries, and much more—to tell the fascinating story of tea.

 

 

 

•  Bowers Museum - Ancient Arts of China: A 5000 Year Legacy

 

Dates: Through December 31, 2009

Location: 2002 North Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm; open late the fourth Thursday of every month until 8:00 pm
Admission: Adults $12; seniors (62+), students and children (6-17) $9; children under 6 free
Education coordinator: Linda Kahn, 714-567-3679

Curated by authorities of Chinese history and culture from the Shanghai Museum, this incredible collection portrays the evolution of Chinese technology, art and culture utilizing rare examples of bronze vessels, mirrors, polychrome potteries, sculptures, porcelains, paintings, ivory carvings and robes.

 

•  Pacific Asia Museum - Calligraffiti: Writing in Contemporary Chinese and Latino Art

Dates: Through January 17, 2010

Location: 46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Admission: Adults $7; students/seniors $5; free every 4th Friday of the month
Education coordinator: Amelia Chapman, 626-449-2742, ext.19

 

Premised on the idea that art is a game that mirrors the realities of life, the works in this exhibition suggest that through “calligraffiti” (calligraphy + graffiti), knowledge can be constructed that simultaneously embraces the elevated and debased, intention and chance, reality and myth.

 

 

 

 

•  Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) - Heroes and Villains: The Battle for Good in India's Comics

Dates: October 17, 2009 to February 7, 2010

Location: 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036; exhibition shown at Japanese Pavilion
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 12 to 8 pm; Friday 12 to 9 pm; Wednesday closed
Admission: Adults $12; seniors (62+) and students $8; children 17 and under free
Education coordinator: Alicia Vogl Saenz, 323-857-6512

 

Examines the legacy of India’s divine heroes and heroines in contemporary South Asian culture through a selection of vintage Indian and American comics, and contemporary pencil-and-ink-drawn character explorations by Indian artists from the Liquid Comics series Ramayan and Devi.

 

 

•  Bowers Museum - Art of Adornment: Tribal Beauty

 

 

 

 

Dates: Through February 12, 2010

 

Features 70 rare and spectacular treasures that focus on the tribal aesthetic of body adornment from indigenous peoples around the world. The primary areas featured in the exhibition include the Pacific Islands, Africa, China, Southeast Asia and the Americas.

 

 

 

•  Bowers Museum - Masters of Adornment: The Miao People of China

Dates: Ongoing

Exquisite textiles and silver jewelry highlight the beauty and wealth of the Miao peoples of southwest China. Symbols of status and culture include finely pleated skirts, complex batik pattered cloth, intricate silk embroidery and shining textiles woven with metal.

♦  Teachers on Asia

•  Asia in My Classroom Discussion Forum

Teachers of all levels and subjects are invited to join our "Asia in My Classroom" forum. To become a registered user (enabling you to post to the board), please e-mail us your request along with your name, school, and the grades and subjects you teach.  What teachers have been talking about:

 

→  On using art to teach about Asia: "Scholastic Books puts out a great magazine known as Scholastic Art. It encompasses many different art movements, but they seem to do a good job incorporating Asian art as part of their issues. I have come across two issues in the past: November 2003 is an issue on Japanese Prints and then there was an issue of art & man based on Japan. Each issue focuses on a particular art style and they give the history of the movement, focus on certain artist and then it gives a few lesson plans. Although this is an older issue, they did a wonderful job with it. The magazines are $8.95 per student for a year and I believe it is for six issues. If you're interested you can check out the web site."

- Alva Bergman, Belvedere Middle School

→  On reading about tea: "There was an awesome article [recently in the Los Angeles Times] on tea: ‘At Tea Habitat, tea connoisseurship is taken to the extreme,’ August 19, 2009… It is long (but not too long) and detailed, and talks a little bit about the history of tea and about different styles of tea. It seems like great cultural enrichment for a Chinese language class or for a unit on China."

- Rebecca Strong, Campbell Hall
 

USC U.S. - China Institute
南 加州大学美中学院
3535 S. Figueroa Street, FIG 202
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1262
United States of America

web: http://china.usc.edu/
e-mail: uschina@usc.edu
phone: 213-821-4382
fax: 213-821-2382