The Virginia-School University Partnership (VSUP) organized a trip for VSUP members to visit China in an effort to gain an understanding of the Chinese educational system and culture. The trip took place from October 22, 2011 through November 2, 2011. Interactive Achievement was a proud sponsor of Sharon, a math teacher in Middlesex County Public Schools.

“As a teacher in a small rural community who had never been on an airplane before, the chance to go to China seemed unimaginable. I was honored and excited to take part in an opportunity of a lifetime. I was going to be a part of an entirely different culture and bring those experiences back with me. The trip not only enabled me to get a glimpse of the world outside of the United States, but was an enriching adventure that has forever changed my views of China, our own country, and the happenings in my everyday life.

We often hear how China is outperforming the U.S. on tests and that U.S. businesses are looking to China to fill key positions in their companies because they cannot find suitable hires within our country. This is quite disturbing. Before our trip, I spent some time researching China’s educational practices and system, particularly the differences in the area of mathematics. My perspective before the trip was purely practice and result focused. I wanted to share with you how that perspective changed with this trip and will continue to impact me as I educate students in the future.

One thing I believe our students can learn from Chinese students is their work ethic. China’s concepts revolve around the idea of education as a privilege. One must work hard to make the most of every opportunity to learn. We can also learn from China that resources are precious and we must be conservative. I noticed that things such as paper and electricity are never wasted. Next, I would say that we can continue to foster a sense of respect for others around the world. Despite the academic success of the Chinese, they continue to express admiration for the United States and our many accomplishments. We were told by several people while there that ‘Americans are more creative because of our education system. You continue to produce great genius minds like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.’ Despite China’s academic accomplishments, they look to the United States as a great nation, and respect us for some of the very things that we may be less than satisfied with in our education system. There are areas that need change, but we educate every day with the goal to provide a complete education for all students while also providing opportunities for growth and creativity.

China may outperform us in some areas, but this should be more reason to push harder. The U.S. believes that all students have the right to an education despite their sex, race, or income and this is a great advantage. We live in one of the only countries where if we push ourselves and are determined to achieve, we can overcome poverty and realize any dream. Our education system allows us to change our circumstances and our students need to be constantly reminded of the obligation that we all have to push ourselves as far as we can possibly go. As a community of educators we are charged with the responsibility of modeling this drive and reminding our students that we can provide them with the tools, but it is up to them how they utilize those tools. They are the masters of their futures. In a time where test scores speak loudly, this trip reminded me that the larger objective of our educational system is to produce great citizens and leaders. Despite my love of mathematics, I must admit that greatness is not always measured by the numbers.

I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this trip to China and know that my students, present and future, will benefit from the wealth of knowledge this trip provided. I could not have experienced or learned the many lessons without actually being there. Thank you.”

On Thursday, we’ll have a Principal from Middlesex County give his thoughts on the trip. So stay tuned! Want to be a guest writer on our blog? Email us beSocial@interactiveachievement.com!