Cindy Anderson, an English teacher at Culbreth Middle School, has worked with students from diverse backgrounds, many of whom are new to the United States and have come from non-traditional educational paths.

When English learning moved online during the pandemic, Anderson said, it became difficult for teachers and students.

“It’s put (the students) at least a year behind, if not more, and trying to get them to a certain level at this point is very difficult,” she said.

English language learners often aren’t able to get as much help outside of school as other students, Anderson said. This lack of support can hurt them academically.

“Some of our better-off students can get a lot of help, our kids can’t,” she said. “Maybe they were home alone while mom and dad worked, or mom and dad slept during the day so they could work at night.”

As the pandemic and associated staffing shortages have taken their toll on North Carolina school districts, English teachers like Anderson have faced many unique challenges.

Emily Lewis, ESL facilitator for Orange County Schools, said in an email that the broader teacher shortage has affected the ESL curriculum for the school district.

Lewis said that at one school, several kindergarten teachers had to learn how to deliver language lessons to students due to a lack of available ESL teachers.

“Truly the teachers are stretched and doing their best, but we all know we could do more if we were full,” she said in the email.

Lewis supervises, provides instructional coaching, and monitors the effectiveness of the ESL program. This work, she said, has been directly and significantly affected by the pandemic.

Along with other ESL teachers, Lewis has been forced to learn how to navigate remote learning during the pandemic. She said she provided lessons and support directly to students due to teacher shortages caused by the COVID-19 quarantine and isolation.

Sashi Rayasam, director of K-12 English learner services for Durham Public Schools, said in an email that the pandemic has also had a significant effect on ESL teachers for the DPS.

She said that although the pandemic has affected English learners, there have not been significant vacancies for ESL teachers.

“Teachers had to adapt to virtual delivery of the curriculum, ensure students had access to technology, and manage student access to social/emotional support,” Rayasam said.

Fight against the shortage

To make up for the lack of certified teachers, Lewis said the OCS has added English tutors to its ESL program. She said this opportunity has allowed English learners to receive more one-on-one support.

Carrie Doyle, president of the Orange County Board of Education, said OCS’s ESL programs are working “reasonably well” despite the pandemic and associated staffing shortages.

“Specifically for ESL teachers, we currently have one part-time position at the primary level that is vacant and one full-time position at the middle level that is vacant,” she said. “We don’t have any vacancies in high school.”

However, she said it was difficult to find people involved in translation and family outreach services, which led to these specific shortages in some schools.

To address these staffing shortages, the district has established Parent Academies for families whose first language is not English. These programs are designed to provide parents with a better understanding of how to access services such as the college application process and online education programs for their students.

“A lot of people come from different countries with different understandings of public school, and so it’s as much the language (as) the way the American education system works that we offer families,” Doyle said.

Lewis said in an email that although many families struggled during remote learning, the return to in-person learning has helped ESL teachers better reach their students.

“This partnership between schools and families has continued beyond remote learning and I am proud of our ESL team’s continued efforts to help families become essential members of their respective school communities,” said she declared.

@ianwalniuk

@DTHCityState | [email protected]

Posted on February 24, 2022

Toni Corso’s students showed off their English skills by writing happy birthday messages to her on the classroom blackboard. Corso teaches English to middle school students in Daejeon, South Korea. The 2020 ULM graduate has a degree in political science and was a student in the Honors Program. She is from Belle Chasse.

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The University of Louisiana Monroe changed Toni Corso’s life.

Today, she is changing lives halfway around the world in Daejeon, South Korea.

Corso, an Honors Program student and graduate in political science from ULM (2020), teaches English as a second language in two colleges in Daejeon.

In addition to the traditional hours of classroom instruction, this spirited young woman has taken on a humanitarian role in Korea as “a volunteer for a non-profit organization that helps rescue North Korean defectors and gives them the resources to adapt to their new life of freedom”. ”

Louisiana Monroe University alumnus Toni Corso wears traditional Korean dress (hanbok) while visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea. Corso lives in Daejeon and teaches English at two colleges and volunteers with an organization that helps defectors from North Korea. The 2020 ULM graduate has a degree in political science and was a student in the Honors Program. She is from Belle Chasse.

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from southern Louisiana to South Korea

As a teenager in Belle Chasse in the parish of Plaquemines, Corso fell in love with Korean, learning to write the Hangul system (like the English alphabet) with 24 basic letters and 27 complex letters, and speaking and reading the Asian language of ballast.

While at ULM, she took the opportunity to study abroad in her fall semester as an exchange student at National Hanbat University in Daejeon. Since 2012, ULM and Hanbat have had an exchange program.

“After discovering the beauty of the culture and traditions there, I immediately knew that I had to go back there as soon as possible. I know this is where I am meant to be in this current chapter of my life. “, said Corso.

Corso said ULM prepared her for the exchange program by giving her “all the tools to prepare for this life-changing new opportunity and ambition to build a more global perspective on life. And , because I want to work with the Seoul Embassy in the future, my political science classes have definitely given me more knowledge to do so as well.”

Corso credited two professors for providing him with the instruction and knowledge necessary for his trip to South Korea, Joshua Stockley, Ph.D., professor and director of political science and the honors program, and Leigh Hersey, Ph.D. , assistant professor and coordinator. of political science.

“Toni exemplifies how pursuing an honors and political science degree from ULM is not just a theoretical exercise, but rather a practical exercise with the power to bring about positive change in the world. I am very proud of Toni and the difference she has made, is making now and will continue to make in the future,” Stockley said.

“They helped me not only to continue my studies in political science, but also by helping me tremendously with my honors thesis on the North Korean regime, which was completed in May 2020,” she said.

“I am so excited that Toni was able to achieve her dream of living and teaching in Korea. She radiates joy and positivity and is sensitive to the needs of others. As a student, she has continuously strived to do her best while encouraging her classmates to do the same,” Hersey said.

Toni Corso enjoys traveling to South Korea.

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Language, learning and life

Corso’s knowledge of Korean can sometimes be hampered by some of the nuances of any language, which can lead to puzzled looks from colleagues and students.

“Most of the time, I am able to communicate effectively on basic things with ease. But I admit that sometimes it is quite difficult to participate in some of the more advanced topics in the workplace,” he said. she declared.

Corso loves seeing his students break through to understand and speak their second language.

“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing my students’ progress and growth from day one until their language skills are now,” she said. “The fact that I can help their confidence in English is something I don’t take for granted at all.”

“School life here is definitely much more different. The motivation and work ethic of Korean citizens and students here is unmatched,” she said.

Just as satisfying as teaching, Corso helps people who have fled North Korea and the regime of dictator Kim Jong-un.

“The most rewarding part of my volunteer service is the opportunity to make an impact and spread positivity and cultural knowledge to former North Korean citizens,” Corso said.

People Beyond Politics

Teaching and volunteering gave Corso a unique perspective on the differences between the two Koreas, especially through the eyes of an American.

“I think Americans often forget there’s a whole world out there that offers so much more,” she said.

“I would encourage people to make a greater effort to understand the difference between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). I think there are so many ideas wrong about the two countries and how completely different they are,” she said.

“I also hope that one day people can realize the beautiful and rich culture of North Korea and understand that they are human beings, not just chess pieces in a political discussion about regimes,” he said. Corso added.

For ULM students who are hesitant about career choices, Corso offers simple advice:

“Follow passion over income, hands down. So many times I see my friends stuck in career paths that make them absolutely miserable,” she said.

“One of the most important parts of life’s journey is not just finding out what you want to do, but specifically what you’re not so interested in. I think it’s important to narrow down your passion and your desires that way and keep chasing after any effort,” Corso said.

Most students in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island were back in class on Monday as the two Maritime provinces resumed in-person learning.

Students in both provinces had been learning virtually this month, but provincial governments announced last week that in-person learning would resume on Monday, with strict COVID-19 measures in place.

Students in Nova Scotia had already returned to their classrooms on January 17, after a week of virtual learning after an extended vacation.

The high school students, however, did not return to class on Monday. New Brunswick high school students will return to class on Wednesday, while Prince Edward Island high school students will return on Thursday, to coincide with the start of a new term.

NEW BRUNSWICK BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN

MASKS

• Masks are required indoors, in classrooms and common areas
• Masks can be removed when a student drinks or eats seated
• Masks are required outdoors, except for K-8 students, who are part of their grouping in Levels 1 or 2
• Medical grade masks have been secured for teachers and school staff
• Students are encouraged to bring a properly fitting three-layer mask to school

IN THE CLASSROOM

• Class groupings will be used for students in grades K-8; students in different class groups must maintain a physical distance of two meters
• Schools may decide to group Grade 7 and Grade 8 students together for operational purposes; class groups are allowed to mix if necessary.

MUSIC

• Music education will be taught outdoors when weather permits
• Students are required to wear a mask when classes are held indoors
• There will be limited singing and limited use of wind instruments

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

• Physical Education will be taught outdoors when weather permits
• Students are required to wear a mask when classes are held indoors
• Contact and team sports activities are not permitted

HEPA FILTERS

• $3 million was spent on 2,000 portable HEPA filters for classrooms at 60 schools, which lack built-in mechanical ventilation systems

SYMPTOMS, TESTS AND POSITIVE CASES

• Students with symptoms of COVID-19 should register online for rapid tests
• If a student has a new or worsening symptom, they will not be allowed to attend school until they receive a negative COVID-19 test
• If a student has a consistent and recurring symptom, such as a seasonal allergy, they may continue to attend school if they test negative for COVID-19; if this symptom worsens or a new symptom develops, they should retest
• Parents and guardians must notify their child’s school if their child tests positive for COVID-19
• If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they should stay home and follow public health guidelines
• A list of schools with COVID-19 cases is available online

TRANSPORT

• Students taking the bus are encouraged to sit in the same seats and with the same students when possible
• Masks are mandatory

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN

MASKS

• Students are required to wear masks indoors, except when eating or during physical activity
• Masks are not mandatory outside
• Masks must be worn when riding on a school bus
• There are exceptions for students who have special exemptions
• Parents and guardians should have received a new three-ply cotton mask for their child when they picked up the COVID-19 test kits
• Students should change the filter every other day; schools will provide additional filters as needed
• Disposable triple-layer masks will be available at school and on buses if a student forgets their mask or needs a replacement

SYMPTOMS, TESTS AND POSITIVE CASES

• Students will receive 10 COVID-19 test kits and are expected to test regularly for the virus during the first three weeks of school
• Pupils were asked to take tests three times a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – for the first three weeks of school
• Parents and guardians should already have picked up five kits last week; five more will be sent home with students this week
• Students should stay home if they feel unwell and only return once they have received a negative test result
• Parents and guardians should notify their school if their child tests positive for COVID-19
• All school and bus exposure notices will be posted on English and French school board websites; emails will be sent through the PowerSchool database

OTHER MEASURES IN PEI SCHOOLS

• Unnecessary furniture has been removed from classrooms to promote physical distancing
• Cohorts of 50 or less will be needed where possible from K-9
• Students and staff are encouraged to select a small, cohesive group of friends and colleagues to interact with
• Portable HEPA filters have been installed in schools without mechanical ventilation
• Schools will maintain enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols
• There will be no in-person gatherings or assemblies
• School sports can resume for practices and practices, but there will be no games or competitions
• Group extracurricular activities can resume if physical distancing can be maintained at all times

Three underperforming Boston schools are set to undergo a four-month review, a move that could potentially avoid a state takeover.

Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said she would assemble a “response team” and work with the Boston Teachers Union to assess problems at Charlestown High School, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and McKinley K-12. The teams will then make recommendations for improvements.

“I appoint this action team to review data on student opportunities and outcomes, recognizing that we have work to do to deliver on the promise of an excellent and equitable education for all students,” he said. she writes in letters to school staff on Wednesday. “When a school needs help, I have the power to step in.”

The decision made some school staff worried the review could lead to layoffs, while others said they were concerned but feared a state takeover could be worse. Cassellius also briefed the Boston School Committee on the plan Wednesday night, framing it as part of a larger overhaul of high schools in the city.

Under the terms of the district’s contract with the Boston Teachers Union, the superintendent can create a seven-member response team. Each school’s team will consist of three members appointed by the union, three members appointed by the superintendent and one member jointly appointed. Each will complete a four-month evaluation of programming, leadership, facilities, enrichment opportunities, and student support services. They will also hold focus groups with students, families and educators; review school data; and observe classrooms.

The teams’ work will culminate in a set of recommendations to the superintendent on each school that Cassellius could accept, reject or modify.

All three schools have struggled with low graduation rates and serve large populations of students of color from economically disadvantaged families.

The McKinley K-12, a small cluster of school buildings serving about 350 students, had a four-year graduation rate of 29% in 2016, the most recent data available from the state.

Charlestown High School was named by the state in 2019 as one of the 10% worst performing schools in Massachusetts. Hispanic and black students make up the majority of the student body, and 74% of the school’s students come from economically disadvantaged households.

Also in 2019, state officials ranked Madison Park High School as in need of “full and broad support”, its highest classification of need. Only 14% of its 10th graders met state expectations in the 2019 MCAS exams, compared to 45% statewide. None of its students exceeded state expectations, compared to the state average of 19%.

In the spring of 2020, the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a devastating review of Boston public schools that raised questions about whether receivership was imminent. Among the many criticisms, the report says that 34 of the city’s schools had student populations that scored in the lowest 10% on state MCAS exams. Shortly after the report was released, the pandemic forced the temporary closure of schools across the state.

On Wednesday, Cassellius presented some of his planned changes to the school committee.

“Boston has failed to deliver on its promise of a rigorous, high-quality education for all students,” she said, “especially for black and brown students, as well as students with disabilities and our learners multilingual”.

Drew Echelson, deputy superintendent of academics, echoed that sentiment. He said the district will refocus on good and effective teaching, especially for students from diverse backgrounds, multilingual students, and students with disabilities.

“We think it can be a really powerful lever for thinking about improvement,” he said of the intervention process. “The goal here is to…work together to make sure we’re clear on the root causes…when students aren’t getting what they need, and to figure out what we need to do to make sure that they get.”

The Lobo Language Acquisition Lab at the University of New Mexico hosts Dr. Jennifer Herbold of the New Mexico School for the Deaf presenting The Importance of Bilingualism for New Mexican Deaf/HH Children as part of his #CelebrateBilingualismNM lecture series.

the free virtual event is set for Friday, February 4, from noon to 1 p.m. Click on the Zoom link to join the presentation. ASL interpreters will be provided.

Herbold is the first deaf woman to serve as superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Deaf (NMSD), the oldest school in the state of New Mexico. Herbold received his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in the Department of Language, Reading, and Culture. Her 2008 thesis focused on the emergent literacy of ASL-English bilingual Deaf children. She earned her BA in English and Secondary Education and her MA in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University. Having acquired a love for reading as a student, Herbold began her career teaching middle school students reading and writing and working as a literacy specialist. She also served as Director of Curriculum and Special Programs at NMSD before being named Superintendent.

NMSD’s vision is that “Children and students in New Mexico who are deaf/hard of hearing will become lifelong learners and contribute to the success of well-rounded individuals in an increasingly globalized society.” The school’s mission is to “meet the unique needs of deaf/hard of hearing children and students, their families, and professional partners by providing a full range of school and statewide programs.”

As a school, NMSD provides a bilingual American Sign Language and English learning environment that includes direct and ongoing access to language and communication in and out of the classroom with a wide range of peers. and adults. Students are interactive learners who receive high-quality, standards-based, dynamic instruction in a variety of curricular and extracurricular activities.

As a statewide service agency, NMSD works with families, school districts, agencies and communities across the state to meet critical language, communication and learning for New Mexico deaf/hard of hearing children and students from birth through high school. .

To inquire about specific access requirements, please email Aster Forrest.

The Lobo Language Acquisition Lab thanks the WK Kellogg Foundation for supporting the lab and this lecture series.

As the students return from winter vacation, the campaign for collective bargaining rights for Prince William County public school employees begins.

With schools now reopening after snow days last week, representatives of the Prince William Education Association in the division’s 94 school buildings planned to start collecting signatures from teachers, guards, transport staff and d ‘other school employees. The association hopes to bring a collective bargaining proposal to the school board before the end of the spring semester.

If the association can garner the support of more than half of the division’s employees, the board will have 90 days to respond to the proposal and could initiate collective bargaining for school employees for the first time in county history. .

The new push for bargaining rights is the result of a 2020 law passed by the General Assembly repealing the state’s ban on public sector bargaining, which had been in place since 1977. The law entered effective in May, and Richmond teachers were the first to successfully win collective bargaining rights last month.

Efforts are also underway to establish a bargaining process for Prince William County employees, with the county’s board of supervisors voting 5-2 in December to begin work on a bargaining order. Advocates for the Prince William Education Association – the teachers’ union – say their efforts are part of a larger campaign for the rights of public sector employees in the county and that they will not only benefit school employees. school division.

The division, like others across the country, faces a staffing shortage that has only worsened since the start of the pandemic and is hampering plans to improve academic performance and recover lost learning while the schools were completely virtual for almost a year. And just as the shortages have affected all kinds of school departments, from classroom staff to transportation and food services, the union hopes to negotiate more competitive salaries for all staff, making the positions more attractive.

“We want and aim to be able to negotiate for all groups outside of government, and that includes members and non-members of PWEA,” said PWEA President Maggie Hansford.

Speaking to InsideNoVa and school board meetings, teachers have voiced numerous complaints about the administration this year, many of which they say have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Staff have already secured some concessions from the division, such as compensation for time spent waiting for understaffed buses to pick up all students after school, and for lost planning time for replacement duties or meetings (the division also suffers from a severe shortage of substitutes). Hansford and others say the division is losing teachers and generally has a retention problem, although they don’t have data on retention levels.

But many teachers said these issues only scratch the surface of what they’re asked to do outside of what’s in their contracts, and the division will have to keep pace with neighboring counties in terms of pay for that staff reach sufficient standards. Other school systems around Northern Virginia are negotiating similar efforts.

“If we were to hire more teachers and reduce the size of our classes, not only would it make our teaching more efficient, but it would also make our jobs a lot less stressful,” said Jerod Gay, professor of language arts at the George Hampton Middle School. . “There’s definitely a feeling, I think, among teachers, not just in the county but across the country, of desperation right now. “

According to the latest Virginia Department of Education salary survey, the average budgeted salary for a Prince William teacher in fiscal year 2021 was $ 70,281. It’s ahead of neighboring municipalities like Manassas and Manassas Park, but the division – the second largest in the state – lags far behind the state’s largest, Fairfax (at over $ 79,000) and follows also Loudoun County and Alexandria.

Teachers say that when you consider that most of them had to pay for a master’s degree, these pay levels don’t cut it off in an increasingly expensive field.

Ultimately, teacher compensation is dictated in large part by state and county contributions to the division, over which the school board and county administrators have little control. But union representatives say they want to help the division better allocate funds to keep the money where it belongs.

Brandie Provenzano, a language arts teacher at Battlefield High School who has been in the division for 20 years, used a recent example from the division that rolled out an online textbook in classrooms.

“It’s a huge push from the county, this online manual. I could have told them in advance, let’s not spend our money… in an online manual. Our students are tired of looking at screens, begging for paper and pencil. I don’t need an online manual, I’ve been teaching for 20 years and everything I need is already available, ”she said. “If you asked teachers and educators, they would say ‘We didn’t need this.’ But now we have it and the schools have paid a premium for it.

Division staff could not specify the cost of the program, called HMH Into Literature.

Union members also say their demands don’t stop at better pay. They say they will also fight for better comprehensive services for students, such as more counseling and social work staff who can help students and lighten the burden on teachers, or more funding to support teachers who actually helps drive home learning for students.

“If I’m teaching in a class of 32 high school students and one of my students is having emotional difficulties that day… they need help then. Is it going to come from me? I have 31 students in class who are waiting. Or is there an advisor available? But the advisers are all busy because we are understaffed. … When we talk about resources, I am talking about people. It’s not just about the money, ”said Provenzano. “If we don’t have a place at the table to participate in the conversation, we can’t stand up for the resources our students need, we can’t stand up for the things that would keep professionals, the best of the best, in the best of the best. profession.”

A possible complication to the negotiating effort could come from the leadership of the PWEA. In October, the Virginia Education Association – the parent organization of PWEA – stepped in to take over the local’s finances, constitution and elections after an internal power struggle.

If the PWEA can collect the required signatures and the school board decides to grant bargaining rights, school employees will elect the representation for bargaining by secret ballot. And although at the time, Hansford and his allies at PWEA said the takeover of VEA could jeopardize the promotion of collective bargaining, Hansford now insists the organizations work together.

“PWEA and VEA are working together to promote the best interests of our students and educators in Prince William,” she told InsideNoVa. “As President, I continue to strive to encourage the leaders of the PWCS Division and the school board to take action to implement collective bargaining. “

A number of school board members have already expressed their willingness to work with the teachers’ union on a collective bargaining process and have shown support for the leadership of the PWEA in its internal struggle against the VEA last fall.

As the UB Confucius Institute (UBCI) ceased its operations at the end of 2021, faculty, administrators and community partners celebrated its impactful work at the university and in western state of New York for the past 12 years with a celebration that included a music and dance program at UB and a banquet at the Eastern Pearl Restaurant in Amherst.

Established in November 2009, UBCI has sponsored research, teaching and artistic production related to China at UB; Chinese language teaching and student exchange at UB and local K-12 schools; and cultural events that fostered a better understanding throughout western New York State of Chinese traditions and contemporary culture. Annual funding was provided by the Office of the International Chinese Language Council (aka “Hanban”) and UB in cooperation with Capital Normal University, UB’s long-time partner in Beijing.

For the December 12 afternoon program at the Center for the Arts Dramatic Theater, John Wood, Senior Associate Vice-President for International Education, delivered a welcoming address on behalf of Nojin Kwak, Vice-President for international education, who was traveling abroad.

“We can never know how much the encounter with China made possible by UBCI will influence the thousands of local K-12 students who have benefited from its programs, let alone our own students at the UB, ”Wood said. “It is therefore very unfortunate that the current circumstances leave UB no choice but to close the institute. For those of us who have been involved in our long-standing collaborations with China, this new era of growing geopolitical tensions is painful to contemplate, as we are losing a key local resource for engagement with China.

The program that followed Wood’s remarks included vocal performances by the Buffalo Chinese Chorus, Nichols School Chinese Chorus, and soloist Robert Liu; instrumental pieces performed in guzheng by Zhongbei (Daisy) Wu, visiting associate professor of music and director of the Confucius Institute at Alfred University, and in viola by Leanne Darling, assistant professor of viola interpretation at the ‘UB; and dances presented by the Buffalo Fanghua Dance Group, the Buffalo Taichi Group, the Buffalo Qipao Group and UB management student Yijun Zhu.

A highlight of the evening’s banquet at Eastern Pearl was the presentation of the Confucius Educator Award to local K-12 Chinese language teachers, Yajie Zhang of Nichols School and Shue Zheng of City Honors. School, and Xuehong Lü, director of the Chinese language program at UB for nearly 20 years before his retirement in 2018. The awards recognized the distinguished teaching and outstanding leadership of the recipients in the development of premier Chinese language programs. plan in their respective institutions.

The banquet program also included remarks from UB administrators and Confucius Institute community partners. Lixin Zhang, president of the Chinese Club of Western New York when UBCI was established, spoke about the central role UBCI has played in hosting the annual Chinese New Year of the community gala at the Center for the Arts and in many other collaborative programs. Paul Casseri, Lewiston Porter Central School District superintendent, thanked UBCI for helping place 10 J-1 visiting professors from China in the district, for funding Confucius classes, and for collaborating on many other programs that have introduced Lewiston Porter students and teachers to the Chinese language. and cultural.

Other speakers on the evening program include Stephen Dunnett, professor emeritus of education, former vice-president of international education and long-time chair of the UBCI advisory board; Zhiqiang Liu, director of UBCI and professor of economics; and UBCI Associate Director Bruce Acker.

Dunnett reflected on the impact of UBCI over the years, noting how proud he was of his association with the institute and of his many contributions to improving knowledge of Chinese language and culture. , and support for university research on China. He said he viewed UBCI as an outgrowth of UB’s pioneering programs in China in the early 1980s, which made the university particularly well-known there.

In a previous ceremony honoring members of the Confucius Institute Advisory Board, John Thomas, Professor and Dean Emeritus of the School of Management, received the Confucius Educator Award for his leadership in several groundbreaking Executive MBA programs in China and elsewhere in Asia.

From 2010 to 21, the Confucius Institute partnered with professors from many departments at UB to co-sponsor 74 lectures given by professors and other leading scholars in Chinese studies across North America; 26 major conferences, symposia and art exhibitions featuring scholars and artists based in the United States and China; and over 25 workshops and seminars for teachers. The institute hosted six Chinese J-1 visiting professors to teach in the linguistics, learning and teaching and art departments of UB, and organized 42 Chinese J-1 teachers to teach the language and Chinese culture in K-12 schools in Erie. and the counties of Niagara.

Through the Confucius Institute, more than 80 UB students and 75 high school students received full or partial funding to study in China, including 12 students who received Confucius Institute scholarships for one semester or one year of study. ‘studies in Chinese universities. In total, more than 35,000 students from UB and Western New York have studied in Chinese language programs affiliated with UB Confucius Institute.

Liu concluded the December 12 program by thanking and congratulating UBCI sponsor and partner, Beijing Capital Normal University, as well as collaborators from the local community, as well as UB faculty and staff.

“As we celebrate 12 years of the Confucius Institute, let us be proud of what we have accomplished, together, over the past 12 years; be grateful to our sponsor and partners; and let’s congratulate each other, ”he said. “Together we had a fabulous race.

“As we bid farewell to the Confucius Institute,” he noted, “let us be confident that we will find new ways to continue the work of the Confucius Institute: promoting learning Chinese, fostering better understanding of Chinese society and engage in research and teaching of China.

Just going to school in Afghanistan posed a danger to cousins ​​Mohammad Wali, 12, and Mohammad Idrees, 14.

The Taliban used violence and threats to keep cousins ​​and their classmates away from school. Bombs were once planted around their school, and family members had been kidnapped and even killed for their efforts to transport the students.

The family moved from a rural area to a town in Logar province, near the capital Kabul, in an attempt to escape the violence. But when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August, the family could no longer risk staying.

The cousins ​​and their uncle, Mohammad Sadiq, fled Afghanistan and eventually made their way to Omaha, where Wali and Idrees are among more than 40 Afghan students in Omaha public schools.

Here they adapt to a new reality. No longer in constant danger or exposed to severe discipline in school, they learn to navigate the state’s largest district without knowing the English language.

A few Afghan students have enrolled in other districts, but the majority have so far been placed in PAHO, said Mohammad Sahil, education and training supervisor for Lutheran Family Services, one of the two resettlement agencies that place people in Omaha.

He expects the Omaha region to receive an additional 300 to 400 students as more evacuees reach Nebraska from US military bases across the country.

Wali, 12, arrived in Omaha almost three months ago, and his cousin and uncle arrived in mid-November. The three of them live in an apartment northwest of Omaha with another person from their Afghan neighborhood.

Families typically spend a month in an Airbnb before being placed in a permanent residence in Omaha, Sahil said. Children are not allowed to enroll in school until they have a permanent address.

“Parents are actually calling to register their children as soon as possible,” Sahil said. “They are bored at home. Children tell their moms and dads that they want to go to school.

“Never in my wildest dreams” – Lincoln woman inundated with donations for Afghan refugees

Resettlement agencies work to find housing and services for Afghan refugees arriving in Lincoln

Students come with varying backgrounds, and generally speak little or no English.

Sahil said one of his clients had a teenage son who had never gone to school in Afghanistan but had to attend an OPS high school because of his age.

“His father was like, ‘Can we put him in a primary?’” Sahil said. “And I said no, it’s not possible. I don’t blame him, but there is help for him in high school, so I’m sure he will learn English very soon.

OPS offers services to help refugee students acclimatize to an American education, said Jaimie Cogua, English, Dual Language, Migrant and Refugee Education Coordinator.

The district had 2,581 refugee students in the 2020-21 school year, but Cogua said she expects that number to continue to rise as more evacuees arrive.

Each student who registers responds to a survey to identify their needs. If necessary, the student will be enrolled in English learner classes and receive support from these teachers while getting used to their new school.

“Often the teacher (English learner) will do a general orientation at school to show them where the toilets are, or provide them with key survival phrases,” Cogua said.

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Students learn things such as asking to use the toilet, getting a pencil, or getting something to drink.

It’s the kinds of things that “anyone might need to know if they’re new to a place,” Cogua said.

The sentences are also part of the English language learning program at Bennington public schools, said Lisa Schonhoff, the district’s English language teacher.

She is the only English learning teacher for the district, but also works with two paraprofessionals. The district is looking to hire two more teachers due to an increased need for services.

The number of students learning English in the Bennington District has increased from 12 in 2017 to 58 this year, she said. Only one of these students is a recent Afghan evacuee.

Most of the staff learning English do not know the language spoken by their students. There are over 10 languages ​​spoken in Bennington. At OPS, that number exceeds 100.

Schonhoff said she mainly teaches phonemically, which means teaching words based on their sounds. She also teaches English using visuals, like taking a picture of a classroom and having her students label everything in the room.

Schonhoff said that it takes about a year for a student learning English to be comfortable speaking openly in English with other people. A typical student will use the services for four years before leaving the program.

“I had a kindergarten child from Afghanistan, and he came with me until grade three, and he will be leaving my program this year,” Schonhoff said. “He’s where he needs to be. It’s amazing to see the progress they are making.

In OPS, Afghan evacuees, along with other refugee students, are usually paired with another student who can speak their language to make it easier to navigate the school, Cogua said.

The district also has a Teen Literacy Center, a program for high school students with previous interrupted or limited education.

The OPS is still looking to hire a bilingual liaison officer who speaks Pashto or Dari, the two languages ​​commonly spoken in Afghanistan.

For now, the district is contracting with Sahil, who helps students enroll in school, acclimatize to the classroom and take English classes. He even helps them with their homework at night.

Before evacuees arrived in the Omaha metropolitan area, Sahil created a guide for school administrators and teachers on Afghan culture, he said.

“Basically if you are a teacher working with an Afghan student this is what you need to know,” he said.

Sahil said, for example, that Afghan women do not make eye contact or shake hands with a man. A younger person will also not make eye contact with an older person.

“We were just saying (to teachers) that if someone doesn’t look you in the eye, it doesn’t mean you’re being ignored, but it’s just part of the culture,” he said.

The school in Afghanistan is also offered in three short shifts instead of all day long like in the United States

Idrees and Wali said they were grateful for many of the differences between their Afghan and American upbringing. The cousins ​​spoke with a journalist through Sahil, who acted as an interpreter.

Idrees, who is in eighth grade at Davis Middle School near 132nd and State Streets, said he and his cousin like it, they can spend the whole day in school rather than a few hours.

He also enjoys reading books and writing short stories. Wali, a sixth-grader at Davis Middle School, enjoys making art with materials like pencils and Play-Doh.

Wali and Idrees both said they were also grateful that they were no longer exposed to corporal punishment at school.

In Afghanistan, if a student was late, disobeyed, or couldn’t understand a lesson, they could be hit with a stick, Sahil said.

For Wali, one of the worst aspects of life and school in Omaha is the absence of his parents, he said. He cries often at night after talking to them on the phone.

Wali and Idrees’ parents are still in Afghanistan, and Sahil said he is unsure if they will ever be able to come to the United States.

“It’s a little emotional now because I can’t imagine it,” Sahil said.

Sadiq, who is now Idrees and Wali’s sole guardian, said that while he is happy to be safe in Nebraska, he is constantly concerned for the safety of the rest of his family in Afghanistan.

Sahil’s own family members are also still in Afghanistan, and he hasn’t seen them for several years, he said.

“All of our families are there. We are still waiting to see what happens, ”Sahil said. “Just wait and try. But there is nothing we can do.

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A primary school in Pen LlÅ·n will close its doors for good on Wednesday.

Ysgol Abersoch in the village of Abersoch has been a refuge for students aged three to eight for almost a century.

However, after 97 years, the school had to say goodbye to its seven students following a Gwynedd council vote to move forward with its closure.

The school’s future was unsustainable due to funding and a shortage of students, largely due “to years of immigration and the use of so many second homes,” the council said.

It was announced that the school would be closed by the end of the term.

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Ysgol Abersoch principal Linda Jones said she felt emotional on the last day of school, which she described as “difficult”.

“It is hard to believe that this is actually happening and that there will be no more children here after today,” she told WalesOnline.

Linda has been the principal of the school for almost five years. Having been a student at Ysgol Abersoch herself, she said that becoming the principal of the school was a “dream come true”.

“I have so many fond memories of coming here as a student,” she explained.

“Drinking milk from glass bottles, painting on Friday afternoons, playing outside in the field – there were two tree trunks and there was a hole in one and you could fit through. 30 students at the time.

“My dream has always been to become a manager. I taught at nearby Ysgol Chwilog for almost 25 years when a temporary job as principal of this school arose. principal of this school.

“I felt like I was living the dream and being able to come back to Abersoch was the icing on the cake.”

The small wooden school, located in the heart of the village, was three years away from celebrating its 100th anniversary.

In September of this year, the council’s decision to close the Welsh language school was reviewed by a key council committee. Concerns were expressed by the local community, who had been campaigning to keep it open, alongside language activists fearing its impact on Welsh culture in the popular seaside village.

The school educates children until the end of the third school year, before moving to Ysgol Sarn Bach, located 2.2 km away.

Decision markers pointed out that no major increase in pupil numbers meant the future of the school had been ‘vulnerable for some time’, costing the authority £ 17,404 per pupil compared to the average County from £ 4,198.

In early December, the school’s principals decided to resign en masse after refusing to allow staff layoffs, calling it a “last insult” to a council that had fiercely opposed the school’s closure.

Governing Chairman Margot Jones called the school’s closure “heartbreaking.”

“I see enormous value in a small village school, especially in a community like Abersoch,” she explained.

“It’s a wonderful advertisement and an ambassador of the Welsh language. What remains of the community after this could only serve tourists and we have fought so hard against that for so long.

“All of our suggestions and ideas for developing the school were ignored. This school was there to educate people who have a sense of belonging to the area and who cannot be replicated.

“The council has turned its back on us.

“I am absolutely devastated and I can’t believe this is happening. It is definitely not in the best interests of the children and I feel like it was all for naught – our voices have gone. been ignored. “

Parent Awen Jones, whose three sons went to school, agrees.

“I am disappointed because I feel like we are the only people who have tried to keep this school open and the Welsh language alive,” she said.

“I felt really lonely sometimes and it’s so sad to come to this.

“As parents we have a good community here – we all get along and depend on each other to support us. My four year old son Bobby has been crying all day – he doesn’t understand why school closed.

“It’s up to us now to keep this community alive.”

On December 17, Ysgol Abersoch organized an open day to mark the last days of school. Former students and parents were invited to share their memories of the place.

For Linda Jones, the closure will have a profound effect not only on those with a connection to the school, but on the community as a whole.

She said: “We have a tight-knit family community here at school. Everyone knows each other, it’s like a big extended family and the children almost become like your own children.

“I can’t even imagine what this closure will mean for the rest of the community, especially the Welsh language. We campaigned so much for the Welsh language because there is a lot of English here. a precious gem for the Welsh Language.

“The community I grew up in was very different from the community we have today, but the school was where the root of the language remained. We have families here of Russian, Iraqi descent. and Czech – they can also speak different languages ​​besides Welsh and English.

“The school motto is ‘Hwylio i’r Dyfodol’, which means ‘sail into the future’ – there is a bittersweet irony with what is happening today. I hope people don’t ‘will never forget the deep roots of this school in the community, further It is woven into the good memories we have, the language we speak and the lessons we have learned.

“Wherever these kids are in the future, I hope they take it all with them, as I did too.”

Gwynedd Council has said considering the future of any school in the county is a “difficult decision.”

A spokesperson said: “The Council, as an education authority, has a duty to ensure that we provide the best education and experiences possible as well as the best learning environment for all children in the county. .

“A number of meetings have been held with representatives from Ysgol Abersoch in order to address a range of concerns regarding the school and possible options for future education in the region.

“The review of Ysgol Abersoch’s situation was not part of a broader strategy for education in the region, but rather a response to a particular concern about the challenges facing the school, particularly the weak number of students, projections, high percentage of excess places, small class size and large age range within classes.

“Following statutory consultation and careful consideration of all comments presented, it was decided to close Ysgol Abersoch on December 31 and offer places to students at Ysgol Sarn Bach.”

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Force of nature. This is how I would describe the five innovators you will meet. I am delighted to share my annual roundup of not-for-profit technology leaders who transform the technological space with social impact. These entrepreneurs have big visions for improving lives through technology. What sets them apart: the leaps they took in 2021 to make these visions a reality. Each responding to a pressing need amplified by the pandemic, here are five innovative social entrepreneurs who are creating technological solutions for communities around the world.

Cecilia Corral, Co-Founder and Vice President of Products at CareMessage

For underserved communities, access to key health information can save lives. This is especially true in the midst of a global pandemic. Combining her engineering background and childhood experience in a low-income immigrant home, Cecilia Corral co-founded CareMessage generate positive health outcomes for communities through accessible technology.

Cecilia made CareMessage a scalable, data-driven tool that is transforming the way safety net organizations engage with their patients. These organizations (think free clinics and community health centers) are leveraging the CareMessage platform to reach patients via SMS, streamline care, and improve internal processes. The result: Cecilia and her team currently reach 10 million patients across the United States

CareMessage’s 2022 goal is to increase that number. Cecilia plans to do so by evolving CMLight, CareMessage’s COVID-19 platform designed to communicate critical information about the virus. From testing and vaccination advice to places to find food and rent assistance, more than 300 organizations have provided COVID-19 information to millions of patients through CMLight. As we grapple with the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic, it is clear that Cecilia and her team at CareMessage will provide key support to communities at risk.

Heejae Lim, Founder and CEO of TalkingPoints

We do not often talk about the parent-educator partnership. But for families – especially underfunded multilingual families – strong communication with their child’s teachers can be transformative. Heejae Lim experienced it. While her mother may have played an important role in her upbringing because she spoke English, she saw her peers with non-English speaking parents struggle. Today the Heejae building Discussion points, an accessible platform connecting traditionally marginalized families with teachers to unlock their child’s potential.

TalkingPoints removes systemic barriers to effective and equitable family-school partnerships through two-way translation, scaffolded resources and content. In 2021, Heejae led his team by facilitating over 100 million conversations between educators and families. It works: 93% of teachers saw their students improve their attendance, engagement and well-being with TalkingPoints.

Heejae and TalkingPoints are on an ambitious mission to impact 10 million families and teachers by 2023. To achieve this, they are building a next-generation platform with extensive, engagement-focused engagement tools. research. “This is our unique opportunity to invest in families as a catalyst for student success,” Heejae says.

Christina Guilbeau, Founder of Hopebound

As a high school teacher, Christina Guilbeau has witnessed the harm caused when young people do not have access to mental health resources. His experience was symptomatic of a larger trend; in the United States, half of lifelong mental illnesses start in early adolescence – yet 14 million children attend schools without mental health personnel. Christina tries to solve this problem with Full of hope, a digital platform connecting disadvantaged young people with virtual video-based therapy.

Innovative in its approach, Hopebound enables at-risk youth to receive mental health support from mental health clinicians in master’s programs, who earn the supervised clinical hours they need to graduate. 2021 has been an exciting year for Christina. Her leadership has earned Hopebound recognition as one of eight nonprofits funded by Zoom Cares. And, Hopebound celebrated its 1,000th free virtual therapy session. As Christina plans to serve the next 1,000 and beyond next year, she is excited to expand Hopebound’s impact by expanding her team, increasing school and community partnerships, and bringing in more counselors. .

Namya Mahajan, co-founder of Rocket Learning

In India, 150 million children do not have access to kindergarten. At the same time, 75% of their families are on WhatsApp. Namya Mahajan saw this as an opportunity to use technology to transform early childhood learning in her home country. She partnered with a star team of technologists and education experts to found Rocket Learning. In short: Rocket learning reaches parents in India where they are – on WhatsApp – to enable them to reinforce their child’s fundamental learning through videos and educational activities.

Rocket Learning took off… quickly. Since their launch in March 2020, Namya and her team have already reached 300,000 students across India with their WhatsApp-based learning platform. They are just getting started. Rocket Learning’s partnerships with state governments, coupled with its scalable technology, are poised to propel it to even greater impact.

After winning recent awards from MIT Solve and the World Economic Forum, Namya and the Rocket Learning team are set to bridge India’s education gap in 2022. Next year Namya plans to support learning child of one million children in five Indian states. . Keep an eye out for this innovator.

Aly Murray, co-founder and executive director of UPchieve

There are more than 40 million low-income children in the United States whose chances of graduating from college are significantly lower than their higher-income peers. Aly Murray was one of them. Due to lack of resources in high school, Aly almost dropped out of college. But she did, and now she’s moving forward by democratizing access to tutoring through UPchieve. His north star? Give all students the opportunity to finish high school, go to university and access upward mobility.

Using the UPchieve app, high school students are matched with a live volunteer tutor in under five minutes. This year, Aly and the UPchieve team passed the exciting milestone of the 10,000 low-income students served in all 50 states. These high school students have requested an on-demand tutor more than 50,000 times on the platform. Thanks to UPchieve, they got the help they needed.

Looking ahead, Aly has a lot in store for UPchieve. She is very excited to expand UPchieve’s tutoring offerings to support more science and human subjects, as well as adding a new feature that allows students to ‘favor’ tutors and be more likely to be matched with them. Driven by innovation and a commitment to students like her, Aly is determined to make UPchieve the tool she wished she had.

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As we continue to meet the challenges of the pandemic, the need for these technological solutions will become even more pronounced. I am grateful to these inspiring leaders for their unwavering commitment to supporting communities, and I look forward to following them as they meet – and exceed – their goals next year.