On Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, an inauguration ceremony was held at the President’s Home at the University of Central Arkansas for the five Confucius Classrooms established in the state of Arkansas.
UCA Confucius Institute Director Dr. Guo-ou Zhuang gives an introduction of Confucius Classroom.
Representatives from Bentonville Public School, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (ASMSA), Hot Springs High School, Lighthouse Academies and Wynne High School attended the ceremony. Representatives from Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), UCA President Tom Courtway, Ms. Jane Ann Williams, Associate Vice President, Ms. Ashley Pettingill, Director of Operation and Finance for International Engagement, Deans from College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, UCA Confucius Institute Board members, faculty representatives from UCA and, UCACI Directors Dr. Guo-ou Zhuang and Dr. Lucy Xiaohong Lu and Chinese teachers, attended this ceremony. Dr. Zhuang hosted the ceremony.
President Courtway gave a welcome address, saying that the Chinese program in Arkansas has been developing due to the efforts of UCACI and all sides present at the ceremony and he would support the program as always. Then Dr. Lu introduced the representatives from the five Confucius classrooms respectively and gave an introduction of the Confucius Classrooms. Mr. Michael Rowland, Educator Preparation Program Advisor from ADE introduced Teach Chinese in Arkansas program and expressed that they will continuously support the Chinese program.
Ms. Williams and Ms. Pettingill gave a presentation regarding the J-1 visa sponsorship for the Hanban teachers and the support of the Confucius Classroom from UCA side.
Dr. Karen Compton, from Bentonville Public School, proudly introduced Chinese program in Bentonville. She said that there are up to 180 students taking Chinese lessons, and besides Chinese Level 1, 2 and 3 classes, they also offer IB course. Their Chinese teacher has done a great job. Because of the great interest in learning Chinese, Bentonville school district will offer Chinese class in another high school this year and they will request two Chinese teachers.
The Confucius Classroom Plaques were then presented to the representatives from school districts by President Courtway.
UCA Confucius Institute was established in 2008. Since then, Chinese teachers selected by Confucius Institute Headquarters, ADE and UCACI have been participating in Teach Chinese in Arkansas program and teaching Chinese and Chinese culture in different school districts throughout Arkansas.
The five Confucius Classrooms were officially approved by Confucius Institute Headquarters on Aug. 31, 2015 based on the application from the principals and superintendents and the report of their Chinese programs. In the spring semester of 2016, there are about 640 students enrolled in the Chinese classes.
With the approval of Confucius Institute Headquarters, each individual Confucius Classroom will get a start-up fund of $10,000 in cash and up to $20,000 Chinese language teaching and learning equipment and materials, and an annual operation/project funding support based on the individual Classroom’s operational situation and projects. With Confucius Classroom, superintendents, principals and other administrators will have the opportunity to be invited to attend sponsored trips to visit China and conduct educational exchanges with schools in China. Students of the Classroom will have opportunities to attend sponsored summer camps to China in the summer. With Confucius Classroom fund, the five schools will set up a Chinese Library, Chinese Corner and exclusive classrooms for Chinese to facilitate students in learning Chinese and Chinese culture. They can use the fund to make field trips to museums, Chinese cultural events, and conduct other teaching and learning activities.
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