Leaving Taiwan on Sunday, July 28

The American student teachers and their hosts went to the Kaohsiung airport on Sunday evening, July 28, to catch their return flight for the United States.  Many San Sin students came to the airport to see them off and to express their affection and gratitude.  Helen Lee, Jerry and Ellie Fussell, and the Teaching Assistants were present, too. The teachers talked to the students and posed for many pictures.  They received last-minute gifts, cards, notes, and even snacks from their students!  The students expressed hope that some of their American teachers would return for the Summer English Program next year.  All promised to maintain communication through Facebook and Skype.  Finally, a group photo was taken in the huge lobby near the departure area.

Hugs were shared and some tears were shed by the teachers and students alike.  Separation from those special people that you have spent every day with and have come to love and appreciate is always difficult!  The kindness and generosity of the Taiwanese people in general, and of the host families and the San Sin students in particular, is so touching!



Host families, San Sin students, American teachers, and friends at the airport.

 

The American teachers wish to express their gratitude to Mrs. Helen Lee for her leadership and for making this wonderful Summer English Program possible.  A special thanks also goes to Jerry and Ellie Fussell, who helped to initiate the Sister School relationship between TCC and San Sin High School in 1993, and who continue to provide unlimited assistance to help the program and the American teachers. 

 

Mr. Shih is also greatly appreciated for his help in providing daily meals, gifts, currency exchange, and yoga classes for the American teachers.  The support provided by Principal Lin for the San Sin international programs is also appreciated.  And finally, love and hugs go to the wonderful host families and San Sin students, who provided the American teachers with a very special and memorable summer teaching experience!

 

 



 

 

Helen Lee receives a gift from the American teachers.

 



 

 







FAREWELL DINNER on Friday, July 26

A Farewell Dinner was held at San Sin High School for all of the American teachers and their host families on Friday evening, July 26.  It was a wonderful opportunity for the principal, Mr. Lin, and Helen Lee to express their thanks to each host family and to present them with a gift.  Mr. Lin addressed the group, expressing his support for the Summer English Program and the great opportunity it provides for the San Sin students.  In addition, the program provides a rich cultural exchange for the American teachers as well. 

Lauralee's host family is thanked.

 

Principal Lin presents David with a certificate.



  

Principal Lin thanks the American teachers.

Jerry and Ellie Fussell.

Candy, Katie, Natalie, Ian, Danielle, Bella
 

CLOSING CEREMONY on Friday, July 26

The Closing Ceremony for the Summer English Program was held on Friday, July 26.  Principal Lin addressed the group and expressed his appreciation to the American teachers.  He stated that he hoped that the San Sin students learned a lot during the program.  Dr. O'Kon also spoke to the students, indicating how impressed the American teachers were with the motivation and enthusiasm of the San Sin students for learning English!

The American teachers presented certificate awards to the winners of the PBL presentations.  The winners were:

First Year Students:           
            1st Place:          #4        Group A   Communication

                                                  (Rose, Alice, Jim, Jhonny, Violet, Ethan, Angel)

            2^nd Place:         #11      Group E  Movies

                                                  (Ian, Amber, Alan, Allen, Sharon, Kate, Ann, Selena, Sandy)

 Second Year Students:

            1^st Place:          #1        Group F-1   Shopping

                                                  (Lily, Ami, Lina, Anna, Abby, Mita, Stacey, Jack)

             2^nd Place:         #9      Group F-3   Shopping

                                                  (Mike, Max, Jasmine, Sara, Phoena, Blair, Joanna, Joe, Steven)

Most Creative PBL Project:

                                    #2        Group F-2  "Shopping:   Should I Buy It or Not?"                                                                             (Ian, Jay, John, Sabena, Susan, Penny, Hook, James)

  

Shane

In addition, the teachers awarded "Honor Roll" certificates to outstanding students in each  of the five classes.  They also awarded "Outstanding Participation" certificates to students in each class who had demonstrated great work and who participated well in class!  And each individual student received a certificate for completing the Summer English Program.




Stacey 
 



Jhonny

 
         



Leo
 

Sabena

  



 

 




 

 Helen Lee, the teachers and TAs, Jerry Fussell.







Class F poses with the teachers!

Class A poses with the teachers!

 

WEEK FOUR: Teaching about Communication

During Week Four, the last week of the Summer English Program, the American teachers covered a curriculum unit on Interpersonal Communication for the first three days of the week.  The new vocabulary word list included:  conversation, nonverbal, active listening, discussion, debate, argument, speech, professional, body language, and social media.  The San Sin students learned about polite versus impolite words, typical telephone conversations, expressing themselves, and intonation.  The students were given opportunities to demonstrate effective oral communication in class, and the teachers utilized friendly in-class competitions to motivate them! 



Natalie teaches vocabulary.

Danielle assists a student.

On Monday afternoon, the teachers traveled with TA Candy by ferry boat to Cijin Island.  They decided to rent four-person bicycle carts for transportation and they pedaled down the road to the beach area.  There were many traditional open-air markets selling fish and other items.  David ate freshly-grilled "squid on a stick."  Eventually, because of the very warm weather, they decided to share some Mango Ice to cool off!

 

Traditional open-air market.

Four-person bicycle on Cijin Island.

Squid ready for grilling.

View from Cijin Island.



On Thursday, July 25, the San Sin students presented their PBL (project-based learning) projects in the 7th floor auditorium.  The American teachers and Ellie Fussell served as judges for the presentations.  This gave the students an opportunity to present what they had learned during the Summer Program by addressing one topic in more detail in English! 



English teacher Julia came to observe!

Students pose after their presentations!

 

Roy, Danielle, Cindy, Tina, Yvonne, Yuki.



 

 

 

 

 

Students and teachers at the PBL presentations.

 



Katie and Lauralee and their students.

 



Week-end Activity on July 20: Trip to Sandimen and Meinong

On Saturday, July 20, the American teachers traveled to the Sandimen Artistic Village in Pingtung County with Mr. Shih and Jerry And Ellie Fussell. Teaching assistants Candy and Roslyn came, too!

Their first stop was the Dragonfly Bead Art Studio, where they learned the art of glass beadmaking and glazing.  Native aboriginal women worked with each person individually to show them the steps involved.  The teachers learned how to heat the glass, add colorful designs, and smooth the bead surface. The beautiful glass beads can be made into necklaces, bracelets, or key chains. 



David and Lauralee work with heated glass.

Natalie and Katie work on the bead design.

 



 

Danielle concentrates on her work.



The finished product!





 

The teachers at the Dragonfly Bead Art Studio.

 

Their next stop was the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park.  The teachers rode an open-air bus up into the scenic mountainous area. They watched a dance and folk song performance by members of several native aboriginal tribes. Many native tribes inhabit the island of Taiwan, including the Amis, Yami, Paiwan, Truku, Thao, Rukai, and Puyama tribes.  The Amis is the largest aboriginal tribe in Taiwan, while the Paiwan tribe is known for producing the greatest number of native handicrafts.  The performers dressed in a variety of colorful native costumes and their show included a number of native songs and dances.

 



 

 





The group jumps for joy at the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park!

 

Then, the teachers traveled to nearby Meinong, where they ate a traditional Hakka lunch at Lowgu's Hakka Garden Restaurant.  Behind the restaurant there is a beautiful scenic area.  The teachers rested and took pictures there, and enjoyed the lovely greenery!

 

 

The Model United Nations team at San Sin High School

San Sin High School developed a Model United Nations team and participated in a conference for the first time in August, 2012.  At that time, two of the American teachers from the San Sin Summer English Program were active participants in the Tallahassee Community College Model U.N. group. This year, the president of the TCC Model U.N., Katie Lilly, is one of the teachers in the Summer English Program. Katie took this opportunity to meet with the San Sin students to provide a detailed introduction to Model U.N. and to help prepare the new team for the upcoming conference in August, 2013.

Some lengthy meetings were held, and Katie provided extensive information to the participating students.  She reviewed the United Nations structure and conference procedures. The students learned about the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The San Sin students also learned important terms and phrases that would be used repeatedly at the conference, such as: placard, delegate, caucus, agenda, speakers list, committee, and formal debate. 

Katie instructs the group on Model U.N. procedures.
 

Katie taught the San Sin students the formal procedure for addressing the Chair and fellow delegates:  "Honorable Chair and Distinguished Delegates..." Then, Katie directed a simulation, where everyone was invited to participate.  Delegates included not only members of the San Sin Model U.N. team, but American teachers, San Sin teachers, TAs, and friends of the English program.  Each person was assigned a country to represent.  They practiced the procedures and reviewed the important rules.  Teaching assistants Willy and Widaad, who represented San Sin on the Model U.N. team in 2012, were there to assist.  Best of luck to the San Sin Model U.N. team in August!

Model U.N. students Jack, Mita, (Katie), Blair, and Lily.

WEEK THREE: Teaching about Shopping



During the third week of the Summer English Program, the teachers covered a curriculum unit on Shopping.  Their vocabulary words included:  commercial, discount, percent, grocery store, department store, bargain hunter, fashionable, and many others.  The students practiced oral dialogues about shopping and practiced counting with American "play money."  They compared Taiwanese and American stores in terms of how they advertise reduced-price items. 

They also reviewed examples of homophones (sent, scent, cent) and practiced using them correctly in sentences.



David works with his students.

Boo and her friends n the English Program.












Danielle's class and TA Candy (left).

Lauralee helps Angel with her writing.

Students practice oral dialogues.

Natalie's class and TA Dora (left).

 

 

David used the technology of Skype in his class to talk to two Taiwanese students at TCC in Tallahassee, Jingo Huang and Gogo Liu.  They are both graduates of San Sin High School.  Jingo and Gogo spoke in both Chinese and English to the San Sin High School students about what is required to become a student at TCC after they graduate from high school. 

 

Gogo and Jingo also discussed the importance of studying English diligently and about not being afraid to speak to improve their conversational skills. Skype worked very well in the classroom, and the response of the San Sin students was terrific! 

 

Jingo and Gogo in Tallahassee speak to the San Sin students via Skype.

      

During Week Three, the teachers were able to go on some interesting afternoon excursions! On Tuesday, Jerry and Ellie Fussell drove them to the E-Da Outlet Mall.  The mall has 300 stores and several levels, with an indoor sky dome.  There is a multi-screen theater, extreme sport zone, and an atrium ice rink.  It is massive!

 

Teachers at the E-Da Outlet Mall.

Families ice skating at the E-Da Mall.



Their next stop was the Fo Guang Shan Monastery and Buddha Memorial Center.  This Buddhist shrine with a reception center, college, museums, libraries, training center, monastic residential community, exhibition hall, and other facilities is the largest Buddhist temple complex in Taiwan--and it is quite breathtaking. 

Venerable Master Hsing Yun first established Fo Guang Shan in 1967 in order to accomplish four objectives:  "to propogate Buddhism, to foster talent through education, to benefit society through charitable programs, and to purify human minds through Buddhist practice."   The inauguration of the new Buddha Memorial Center took place in 2011 and was attended by thousands of devotees.  The important spiritual teachings of Buddha, including compassion, wisdom, altruism, and equality, are taught to the hundreds of monastics who train at Fo Guang Shan.

Katie, Natalie, and Ellie admire the Golden Buddha.

Teachers with TA Candy.