June 13, 2005
This blog is created to follow a group of eight Sonoma State graduates, who are embarking on a unique teaching and learning adventure in Shanghai, China in August, 2005. Sonoma State American Language Institute has partnered with Shanghai Sanda Institute to offer members of the University community the opportunity to teach English to college students for an academic year at the Sanda Institute, a technological university in Shanghai.
The first group of eight students will teach Sanda Institute students English oral skills such as listening, speaking and pronunciation, while immersing themselves in a vibrant Asian culture. As part of the agreement between Sanda Institute and Sonoma State University, the students are compensated for teaching 16 hours per week with a transportation allowance, housing, meals and stipend and given a tuition waiver to attend classes. In anticipation of this unique opportunity, Eileen O'Brien states, "I am very excited to experience the amazingly rich culture of China. This will truly be a life altering experience."
The Sonoma State University students leaving this August for China are: K. Metcalfe (Santa Rosa); Elwin Parker-Morris (Felton); Brian Sweeney (La Verne); Elizabeth Goodrich (Grass Valley); Eileen O'Brien (Santa Rosa); Lauren Castro (Modesto); Wendy Tappon (Oxnard); Kristin Cozort (Pacific Grove).
In order to prepare for their teaching assignments, the group has completed an
intensive 3-week course in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) which included observations, practice teaching, and instruction in the basics of Chinese culture and the Chinese language system. The students will be able to learn more about Chinese culture by taking courses at Sanda Institute, studying subjects such as Chinese Language, Culture, Economy and Law.
Kristin Cozort expresses her excitement, "I'm going to gain first hand experience of a culture that is rich in history and tradition. Also, this is an experience that will certainly broaden my academic and professional prospects in the future." Beth Goodrich agrees that "This is a once in a lifetime experience that I just couldn't pass by. How many other college graduates will be able to say they taught English to college students in China?"
For more information about this program, contact Helen Kallenbach at Sonoma State American Language Institute at 707-664-2742 or visit www.sonoma.edu/exed/ssali/china.