2011

Confucius Institute In Auckland

NEW ZEALAND

28 August to 3 September 2011

NZ Principals’ Delegation to China

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OVERVIEW

The 2011 Confucius Institute New Zealand Principal’s Delegation to China visited Beijing, Jinan, Qufu and Shanghai over a period of ten days from 27 August-7 September 2011. The programme encompassed a broad range of activities including school and university visits, meetings with New Zealand and Chinese government representatives and visits to sites of cultural significance.

The broad objective of the visit as outlined by the brief was for the Principals to gain firsthand experience of Chinese culture and contemporary Chinese society. The delegation included twelve New Zealand Principals from primary and secondary schools around the country. While some had visited China previously, it was the first time for most of the members of the delegation. Some of the schools represented already taught Mandarin as a foreign language, others were in the process of considering including it as part of the curriculum.

Learnings from the visit and how these applied to local and individual school contexts were diverse. This report provides an insight into some of the key impressions made by the various visits and activities during the trip. It also outlines measures and actions currently being considered by Principals to promote Chinese language and culture in their schools as a result of being part of the delegation.

A follow-up meeting to be held later in 2011 will serve to continue the dialogue and provide an opportunity for Principals to share further thoughts and developments around promoting and supporting Mandarin in their schools.

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TOUR DIARY

DAY ONE

Beijing bound

Meeting at Gate 8 it was with some excitement that we boarded NZ 2758. A light dinner and a movie before sleep with varying degrees of success. The most watched movie was 'Water for Elephants'. The insomniacs amongst us had a greater variety.

DAY TWO

Ni hao China

• Trees • Bikes • Food!!!! • Hot • Smog • Clean • Modern and historic side by side

First impression of Beijing: green. The trees are resplendent and abundant. Second impressions: contrast; from very modern and innovative to the quite primitive. Beijing is a city of 23 million people with 5 million cars (one day a week drivers are not allowed to drive much like our carless days of old).

Our first foray into Beijing was to Tianamen Square. The square is named after Tianamen Gate or the Gate of Heavenly Peace. This prominent gate was built in 1450 during the Ming Dynasty. The square is the second largest in the world and reportedly can hold the population of Auckland. It is culturally significant and is the site of several important events in history. Of course we all remembered this, in terms of the world wide focus in 1989 with regard to the protests for pro-democracy.

We now know that the Tianamen Gate was part of the city wall, built as a defense against the invaders from the north. We saw this gate along with many others in our travels around the city today.

The year after Chairman Mao's death a mausoleum was erected in his honour. Interestingly, the same portrait of Mao is renewed each year therefore his appearance never changes. The painting dominates the square and is of obvious interest to Chinese visitors

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and others and, yes, we all took the photos.

The Square is lit with large lamp posts which are fitted with video cameras and it is monitored by uniformed and plain clothes police. At all times we all felt perfectly safe. For the walkers it certainly proved to be the longest square and with the heat of late summer, it was a challenge.

Leading on from the square we walked through to The Forbidden City. It was built from 1406 - 1420 (so think the Tudor reign) and must have been a huge undertaking at the time,

requiring more than a million workers. Ask Google and there are 980 buildings with 8707 rooms. However, according to Larry, Heaven is reported to have 1000 rooms, so the Imperial Palace is purported to have 9999.5 rooms. The Imperial Palace, also built during the Ming Dynasty, was for almost five hundred years, the home of the emperor and his household, and was the political

centre of the Chinese government. Twenty four emperors have lived there.

Much to our distress, the Starbucks that used to be situated in the grounds was closed in 2007 as it caused too much controversy. Jude, you will need to wait until we get back to the hotel!!

Throughout our first day we were the object of interest by many, with some of us being asked to have our photos taken (we, of course, took the odd photo or two as well). It was humbling to be walking in the footsteps of millions of people who, for so many hundreds of years, have walked in this place.

Comments about the first day

• Drink plenty of water • Watch your stuff ( go Irene) • Wear good walking shoes and watch your step, or wheel • There is food upon food (always a round table) • For some, chopsticks use somewhat limited our food

intake at first • Chinese beer is pretty good actually • Friendly and helpful people everywhere • Teenagers are the same the world over • Babies are treasured • The search was on for good coffee

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DAY THREE

Olympic Village and ANZ

The day began early for some visiting the zoo to see the pandas before the day's itinerary started. While taking photos we realised others were taking photos of us - we were quite an attraction with people queuing to have their photos taken with us.

We began the day's itinerary visiting the Olympic Village. The design of the Birds Nest and the vast size of the complex impressed everyone. The technological design focus was reflected in the souvenirs of birds and kites which were purchased for technology classes or grandchildren. The distinctive walls and lights of the swimming stadium also impressed us.

Next we visited the Beijing Language and Culture University Press which produces textbooks, workbooks, readers and audio and visual material for teaching mandarin to preschool, primary, middle school and secondary students. All material is very student centred and recognises the cognitive development at each level. Primary principals were well aware of the current needs in their school for resources and bought much material. Secondary ones were reluctant to buy material which their specialist teachers might not want to use. All material can be ordered on line so that was considered a safer option.

Our afternoon visit was to the ANZ which has been in China for twenty years but has expanded greatly over the past three years. It has four branches in China and is targeting three new types of customers for the future: multinationals, state owned enterprises and the private sector. The bank has made it easier for New Zealanders to set up business in China and has been entrepreneurial in meeting a need for education. They have established the Funds Transfer Scheme which allows Chinese parents to deposit money in a NZ bank account to cover living expenses for their children for a year. This proves to immigration that they have the funds to support their children in NZ which, given that much business in China is cash based, can often be difficult to do. It also enables Chinese parents to control their children's spending as they can withdraw only one twelfth of the living expenses each month. The Development Manager Sandor Liu actively promotes NZ as a study destination.

As we walked through the ANZ offices we were impressed by the youth of the staff. The General Manager, Maria, had two young children, the youngest four months, who were cared for by her parents. Twenty of the ninety staff had been educated at secondary or tertiary level in Australia or NZ which was a very obvious example to us of the value added for them of studying abroad.

The amazing view from the offices on the 32nd floor provided us with an overview of the motorway network and, alongside it, the chimney of a coal fired power station in the middle of the city. Some of the top quality coal used there was imported from NZ.

We then attended a production of The Legend of KungFu which was very colourful and a

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wonderful presentation of the martial art. Dinner provided another fascinating culinary experience.

DAY FOUR

The Great Wall and Silk Markets

There is a saying in China, “If you haven’t climbed the great wall, you are not a true man.” The world now benefits from twelve truer men (and women) with the achievement of climbing this wonder of our world. Constructed in the seventh century BC, at over 6000km (or 10,000 Li) in length, and originally mostly connected, it is now broken and fragmented, we cannot claim to have walked the length of it, however the joy and wonderment of climbing its elevation was certainly an honour and highlight of our travels to date. Our guide informed us the wall itself was made of stone from the local area, carving these from the mountains. Before we embarked on the climb, we were told “Don’t call people on your cellphone from the top of the wall, or you could be shot!” Amusingly, we appeared in several photographs with locals at the top of the wall, as we peered out

through the cloud and smog, we read a sign suggesting that using our cell-phones during a thunderstorm was not advised as we could be ‘shocked’! It all made sense.

After the climb to becoming true men, we ventured to an enamel factory where we were guided in the art of enamel vase and artefact making. This intricate process was certainly an incredible reflection on the artistic talent and

skill of those who make these. Here we were introduced to other lunch traditions, eating at tables number 32 and 33 of 151, and experiencing ‘Chinese Fire Water’ of a local Beijing variety, at 53% proof – just a thimble full, mind you.

The afternoon adventure moved to another cultural experience of Beijing and China, in learning the art of barter at the Silk Markets. Famous for its copies and fakes, we were provided with some bargaining insights and informed of the layout, and left with the knowledge that we would ‘learn by paying’. This on the bus instruction, proved very useful as we experienced ‘shopping market style’. Many bargains and paying experiences later, we

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felt more skilled and insightful about shopping in China. An amazing experience! Word of advice, don’t look unless you want to buy.

After an amazing day of sweat, bargaining and eating, we continued on our journey to share a meal with students from New Zealand – Emily Foote from Canterbury University; Eric Foley, Victoria; Oliver Teernstra, University of Auckland, sponsored by the Confucius Institute, studying in Beijing.

DAY FIVE

Official Engagements

We arrived at the NZ Embassy fashionably late by about five 5 minutes. We were kindly met by Alexandra Grace the Education Counsellor based in Beijing. We were all introduced to Carl Worker, the New Zealand Ambassador. The Ambassador talked about how China has a huge sense of optimism in their population. That China is now sure of its place in the world and is ready to contribute to it in its own way. This concept was something that many of us in the group were experiencing due to the huge lift of a number of people who had been raised out of poverty and the self-belief they had in themselves and China. He also thanked the Confucius Institute for their forward thinking and support of the development of language and understanding. Ambassador Worker identified the challenge for us, as educators is to ensure that we can provide our students with that awareness of the new global China, so that New Zealand can continue to develop the strong relationship we have developed so far. Our group responded with a kind thank you to the embassy staff then sang ‘Pokarekare Ana’. We then had a chance to mix and mingle with other New Zealand officials from organisations such as Agriculture and MFAT. After some good old networking and ginger crunch, it was off to lunch. A beautiful lunch was had with a couple of dishes from Sichuan province – ah, the chillies. Over lunch, Nora gave us a lesson in traditional Chinese medicine and how the concept is based on one of balance. Talk turned to báguàn (the tradition Chinese cupping massage) and that some members may try to get this in Shanghai following Stijn and Nora's lead. After a drive across Beijing, we arrived at Hanban at 1.50pm. Walking towards the entrance way, we were met by a sign welcoming the New Zealand Principals Delegation. We were kindly met by Madame Tang Wanfeng. We then walked through the amazing foyer with the blue tiles like a river and flags from 103 countries which have a Confucius Institute. We then entered the cultural experience hall and a world which charted the development of China over many thousands of years. It dealt with such topics as the three great thinkers of Taoism and

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Confucius thought, calligraphy, paper puppets, porcelain, music and paper making. The displays were all very sophisticated and interactive.

Upstairs we were met in the large boardroom by Feng Chao Assistant Director, Confucius Centre. Hanban was established in 2004 and is a division of the Ministry of Education. They started with six Confucius Institutes. The Institute was established to enable people to learn the Chinese Language and understand the culture. They are also a centre for promotion of Chinese

culture worldwide and promote study in things Chinese. There is a high level of support from all major ministers in government such as finance and education in the governing council of Hanban. Madame Feng mentioned that there are opportunities for teachers to come to China to study language. Please contact your local Confucius office. We were encouraged to help our students to explore the wide dimensions of Chinese Language and culture in our school. We appreciate the way in which the Confucius Centre likes to work with the local people to develop the greater understanding of China. Owen and Nora spoke on behalf of the principals and began by ‘Te hei Maori Ora’, ‘the breath of life’, that the Confucius institute has given us to bring Chinese culture and language to life in NZ. We then sang’ Pokarekare Ana’ and exchanged gifts. It was a final walk down the stairs to stand by the flags and get a group photo. It was then back to the bus and a ride out to Beijing airport. Congratulations to Jude who once again made two dramatic entrances today. Late for the bus this morning and then at the airport frisked and two cans of tonic confiscated at security. It was a short flight to Jinan and our hotel in the centre of the city. After checking in a few of us found an open food stall on the corner of the road. We purchased a cask of beer for 25 yuan or $5 and 20 kebabs for 20RMB. It was a delicious evening in the middle of a street where life is happening all around us.

DAY SIX

Jinan

Heading off from the hotel early morning we commented on how the neon just doesn’t quite look the same in the light of day. Yes Jinan looks a little like a mini Vegas by night! Jinan has been

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glorified as the ‘spring city’ due to the number of springs in the local area. With over 40 Universities and Colleges it also is an educational hub.

The Primary School visited by many of us was certainly a highlight. With 12 primary and 3 kindergarten classes and approximately 40 students per class I guess it could be classed as a fairly ‘small school’ that was certainly not small on its welcome to the Delegation. Approaching the school we could see a large welcome sign from some distance, ushered into the meeting room it was clear that a lot of thought and effort had gone into our visit,

thanks for our Shandong host: Confucius Foundation.

Being the first day of the school year we were extremely fortunate to play a special role in the ceremony which involved placing a red dot on each new child’s forehead, symbolising wisdom and their minds being open to new learning. It was also interesting to see the parents playing an important part as their child

undertook their very first writing lesson. This being a Confucius themed school means that the children experience the teachings of Confucius from the very beginning, in the kindergarten class. This philosophy includes such principles as teaching without discrimination, moderation in everything and if we are to survive in the 21st Century we must get the wisdom. One of the main reasons behind the school deciding to integrate Confucius philosophy is the importance of passing this wisdom from one generation to

another. Integration takes different forms such as reading the classics and learning proverbs, through activities that explore Chinese culture such as calligraphy and woodcuts and pottery. There are also many options to link with other Confucius schools.

In fact there appeared to be many similarities with NZ schools. To name a few; a national, local and school curriculum is followed, schools are zoned, one of the biggest challenges for the principal is to build a great team of teachers and some things are mandated, in Chinas case, from this academic year every school needs to focus on handwriting due to the concern in the standards slipping. Overall we were maybe surprised by the apparent degree of autonomy the principal had to develop the vision for the school.

We were also surprised by the 3000 applicants for 130 teaching positions across the District! Education is viewed as key and teaching is seen as an important vocation; maybe this isn’t as surprising as we first thought.

Some principals from our group visited a senior high school: Jinan Number 3 High School. We all watched with great interest when the students doing military training in army uniform.

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The lunch for the day was a big banquet hosted by Confucius Foundation. The whole delegation and the hosts sat around a huge table with food coming nonstop.

After the morning's school visit we head to Black Tiger Springs. A lot of the locals collect their water here and take it home to use for drinking water after boiling it. The Springs flow remarkably clear and locals and tourists alike gather at various spots along the edge to sit with their feet in the water. Our group made its way along the edge of the Springs, stopping at various points for pictures. We also stopped at a spot

known as English Corner which is a popular spot - as the name suggests - for English tourists.

From there we travel to what's known as The Thousand Buddha Mountain, a hill located southeast of the city of Jinan and about 2.5kms from where we are staying. The hill is 285m tall and has numerous ancient carvings in the walls. “People now come here to pray for good luck, safety and wishes - some people come here and maybe pray for a baby,'' says our guide. Some of us chose to walk up the hill, to see the temple - via roughly 300 steps - while others stop for trinkets and gifts. A couple of us buy good luck banners and hang them from a tree covered in hundreds of others.

The temple is wonderful and there are lot of buddhas carved into the side of the hill. Buddhist monks chant from inside part of the temple. We finish the afternoon by stopping at The Daming Lake - which covers 46 hectares. We are there just on dusk and many of the bridges, trees and walkways around the lake look pretty all lit up with lights.

DAY SEVEN

Jinan to Qufu and the Confucius monuments As we left Jinan in the early morning rush hour traffic, I was struck by the comparatively orderly 6 lane motorway with dedicated bike and scooter lanes on either side. For a city of over 6 million they seem to have their traffic problems sorted! A three hour bus ride to Qufu passed through fairly prosperous green countryside with crops of maize and trees, large

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commercial billboards on the side of the motorway and a few glimpses of bullet trains in the distance. Qufu (pronounced Shufu), population approximately 600,000 is refreshingly low rise with no buildings higher than 2 levels. While our guide purchased our tickets for the Confucius monuments, we waited at the bus, some went in search of loos, a few explored the local shops and scored large bags of cheap sweets, while others bargained for more healthy fruit options from street vendors with old fashioned scales and sweet smiles. Our low rise hotel was a welcome sight with rooms looking out on peaceful courtyards and water features. After yet another superb lunch, we set off to view the amazing monuments to Confucius, the father of state education in China. Here is history preserved on a huge scale, with the Confucius temples, the cemetery set in a forest and the Confucius family mansion all within easy walking distance of the hotel. A sense of reverence pervades the atmosphere, as people from all over the world gather to experience these significant ancient monuments to the man who means so much to the Chinese. We step through numerous gateways, admire the carved stones, stroll through courtyards and temples, then on to the Confucius mansion with its many rooms and cultural relics. The cemetery is reached after a short ride by electric cart through the heat of the afternoon, and the tomb of Confucius is a peaceful walk through the forest along well-trodden paths. We stand before a large grassed mound which is the tomb of the great man, imagining the centuries of humanity that have witnessed this sight. This town showcases over 2000 years of history with a real sense of decorum. The tourist industry sits comfortably alongside people getting on with their everyday life. In the early evening we are enticed out to mingle with the locals who are out and about on the cute cobbled lanes, enjoying the shops, eating the interesting street food and watching the world go by. A few of us soak up the atmosphere by having a few beers amongst the street food stalls, and we realise that this is not common practice with tourists, judging by the curious looks from the locals. The day ends with foot massages in the hotel for some weary feet and the sound of fireworks as I drift off to sleep. I hear later that the booms are more likely to be rockets fired into the clouds to encourage rain to form.

DAY EIGHT

Qufu-Shanghai Leaving Qufu was not the mission I thought it was going to be. It may have been the thought of the super city Shanghai to come, or the excitement of a high speed train averaging 250 km per hour speeding through rural China. One thing that strikes us all is that this country is on the move. The intensively farmed countryside is interrupted at intervals by new, large cities by our standards, growing out of the cornfields inclusive of apartment towers, boulevard streets and parks. The number of cranes within a circle frame of your thumb and first finger, taken at regular intervals along the route would more than equal all the cranes in Auckland (currently 9 on my last count).

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Modern railway stations clearly are planned for future growth and make quite a statement about the commitment to 21 century Chinese infrastructure. Floating high above the terrain in carriages that resemble more aircraft cabin than train, makes for most pleasant travel, akin to airline business class. The intensive horticulture in addition to corn, includes stone fruit, rice paddies and green vegetables. I even saw goat and pig farms. Every now and then we would pass large groups of farm workers with bent backs using hard graft and energy, much of which has been replaced in NZ by machinery. The pollution in the North was a constant reminder of the price of progress as we hurtled towards Shanghai. But this quickly gave way to blues skies as we got close to the coast of this great country. Shanghai: the face of modern China and a place that does not disappoint. From the top of the world’s financial skyscrapers to the street vendors plying their wares after dark, this city has something to offer everyone. Our first cultural experience was the Shanghai Museum. This was a great opportunity to reflect on where China had come from through the millennia and to explain in part, for me, why their economy is now the powerhouse of the world. From the Chinese bronzes of the 21st Century BC to Chinese sculpture, ceramics, paintings and furniture this museum of ancient arts has something for everyone. The international exhibit just happened to be our own Te Ao Maori Exhibition from the Otago Museum. This hall was very popular with the Chinese visitors to the Museum whom I feel have an affinity for things, Maori. Many in the group were suffering from various strains of the 'flu.’ Visits to the chemist became popular with great debates about appropriate medicine. In the evening, inevitably the fit members found a local bar while many others sought out the local supermarket for last minute shopping. (Owen managed to buy up the whole stock of calligraphy brushes meaning the rest of us had to wait until our last day when the supermarket had re-stocked).

DAY NINE

Expo and Yuyuan Gardens A very eastern style breakfast and a number of sick colleagues and then a bus trip to the China Expo. The sun shone in a clear blue sky with a refreshing breeze to keep us all comfortable. Despite it being Sunday at 9am there were lots of people. I was impressed at the number of family groups where the grandparents were part of a three generational whanau. It was all meticulously organized with a number of officials to keep the whole thing running smoothly. The introduction was a film celebrating the changes in China/Shanghai society over the last thirty years.

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The film impressed me with its strong emphasis on resilience and accommodation to massive change. The determination of all sectors of society to work together for the benefit of all was apparent as was the obvious pride in such an accomplishment. The section on the Shanghai earthquake relief support and its urban search and rescue teams struck a chord after our experiences in Christchurch. They mentioned with pride the speed with which they rebuilt the fractured towns and communities and this again reinforced for me the effort that all sectors of society put into working together for betterment of all. Everyone seems to do their bit. One enormous wall was filled with an exquisite drawing of a rural scene over 1000 years ago. It was animated and the characters moved through the village undertaking their normal daily duties. The scenes shifted according to the time so that a cycle of 24 hours in this rural village was shown. We left this area to go to lunch, once again a different style of cuisine and then to the Yuyuan Gardens. This is a very popular place for overseas visitors as we saw a number of tour groups. It is also popular with Chinese families. It was once a family home with beautiful garden. It seems that a home for the wealthy consists of many individual rooms set apart from each other and used for a specific purpose. One was a writing room, one to meet important visitors, etc. The space between the rooms creates a number of garden enclosures. There is water running through it creating streams and pool and stocked with enormous golden fish. There are old stone walls around the garden space and bridges over the water and huge stones and walls with beautiful graceful trees creating shade and light. All around are markets and stalls and shops with Chinese souvenirs including lots of images of Chairman Mao. But in the midst of all this bustle and crowds, there is no rubbish lying around. The bins ask you to separate organic from other rubbish and everywhere is someone with a brush to sweep the pathways clean of any crumbs or leaves that fall. Another group of people patiently go through the rubbish selecting paper, food scraps, plastics and the ubiquitous drink bottles. Each one selects his or her form of rubbish and carries it off in huge sacks. Everyone works, no matter how small or insignificant the job, it all contributes to the society. We lose one of our guides and after waiting awhile set off for the hotel. We are due for dinner with our hosts from Fudan University. We have 9 minutes to shower and change. At the restaurant we are greeted by a group of academics from the International Department. They have reciprocal relationships with Auckland and Otago universities. International students are an increasingly large part of their campus. Fudan University supports the development of some of the poorer inland provinces. For Fudan, this is one on the border with Myanmar. They bring their teachers and doctors in for training and aid in practical ways in developments in the province. The travel around the city showcased its magnificent architecture. I was awestruck on the bridge over a vast expanse of water surrounded by skyscrapers with majestic profiles set against clear skies. After dinner was the river tour which provided a period of cool, calm reflection with a night sky that was like a magical fairyland.

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DAY TEN

Fudan University and Schools

The day started slightly later than usual, providing participants with a chance for exercising, supermarket shopping, a leisurely breakfast, or to catch up with housekeeping. Then it was on to the bus for a short journey to Fudan University where we were introduced to Dr Pan Tianshu from the School of Anthropology and Social Development. Dr Pan talked through his dissertation on Neighbourhood Gentrification in Contemporary Shanghai. Dr Pan’s central theme was about the nostalgia of residents for a Shanghai as remembered prior to the Cultural Revolution. He described the process of gentrification whereby lower quarter (more traditional) neighbourhoods were demolished to make way for newer

developments and the rising middle class. Initially Shanghainees embraced the changes but Dr Pan described the current nostalgia and demand for the maintenance and preservation of the old communities that gave residents a sense of identity. Change has been so rapid that a sense of nostalgia was almost inevitable. The group agreed that the talk was very useful in understanding the complexities of contemporary Shanghai.

Fudan University staff kindly hosted a lunch for our group. The deep-fried ice-cream parcels were delicious and much discussed. That afternoon we toured our second school, South West High Model School, a Grade 6-9 high and 10-12 secondary school. The principal, Mr Wang and his staff were very welcoming and had prepared very thoroughly for our visit. On arrival, we were escorted to the Board Room for refreshments and Mr Wang described the nature of the school and its model philosophy. The core of the school philosophy was the bringing out of the individual ‘sparkle’ within each student, and staff modelling desired learning behaviours to achieve this goal. Mr Wang was understandably passionate about his school and described the success of the school particularly with students that had failed high school entrance exams at other schools, with a creditable 77% of his school’s students accepted for university. While the school was situated on a tight urban site, featuring multi-story buildings and a boarding facility, much had been done to provide areas in the grounds for reflection and for using the environment to reinforce the school philosophy. Students were friendly and interested in our visit and presented wonderful examples of robotics, dancing, artwork and singing. All students learn English and two classes had prepared for our visit. The Y9 English

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class had researched New Zealand and three students presented a haka to part of our group. Our group helped the students learn the words and actions for the haka and answered the students’ questions. The Y12 English class were very competent speakers and several were interested in using their language skills to travel overseas. We returned to the centre of Shanghai via a tour of the ‘upper quarter’ and ‘lower quarter’ housing areas described by Dr Pan. A delicious banquet dinner was enjoyed by all. The day concluded with a visit to the French Concession where a happy hour was enjoyed partaking of refreshments in an outdoor café.

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PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Delegate Reflections on visit Curriculum Key actions Alison Spence Kohia Terrace School

• That China, as a whole, was far more progressive that I thought. The architecture, the commitment to reduce pollution, the amount of green!

• There is a strong sense of pride and very much the realisation that there is a collective responsibility and that it is not everyone for their own.

• In terms of the schooling, I was impressed with the way in which the two schools could personalize the curriculum; not with the parental influence that we have but I thought it would be far more directed from on high. Certainly in terms of teaching, it is as I thought it would be in that it is whole class teaching, and it is very formal in terms of delivery. However the way in which the philosophy influence and guides the decisions was very much like our education system.

• There is not so much a change in

my understanding but more reinforcement that what we are doing is very much on the right track. China is now, and will continue to be for some years, a significant nation in terms of the world’s economic situation and we need to ensure our students are prepared for that.

• An appreciation of Chinese language and culture is vitally important. Our NZ European students need to know more about how other cultures live both in their native country but also in ours.

• That understanding will ensure, I believe, a more genuine commitment to building our schools as a whole community.

• More talks with Wendy (Newmarket) to

look at how we can continue our MLA work into 2012. The dance group is Chinese only at this stage but the plan is to have them lead this with all interested students in 2012.

• Now that Epsom Girls Grammar are introducing Mandarin in 2012, there is a pathway for our girls. Unfortunately Auckland Boys Grammar is not interested. If we were unsuccessful in MLA funding for 2012, I will be really calling on our parent community to support.

• I have reported in our school newsletter my impressions of China and why it is important that we continue to reflect Asian cultures in part of our curriculum. There is a need to keep on highlighting this with the parent community. Each time there is a school event we are becoming far more cognizant of how we involved our Asian families, or what aspect of the event celebrates/ acknowledges the Asian links. This needs to be really highlighted going forward.

• Continued support and involvement in

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the Asia Foundation and links to the Confucius Institute. I am keen to have a teacher look at Mandarin language development with the MOE, and to employ an Asian speaking teacher. Also keen to develop that sister school concept and utilise skype etc to instigate some form of relationship. In the long term to take a group of our Intermediate students to the event in Beijing would be the pinnacle.

Arnna Graham St Joseph’s Catholic School

• China is so green, so organised and tidy, throughout the journey over so many different cities and places we visited. This impression was lasting

• There appeared to be such a desire to work, to move ahead as country, a community, a family and as individuals, last. This focus gave me an impression that China is striving for excellence and will certainly go so way to achieving it. I saw this through the work that people were doing, heard it through the school leaders’ delivery as they focused on the commitment to grow the next generation, through the actions of the Universities, the businesses and the presentations we were privileged to hear.

• The commitment of families to each other – through the way they care

• The understanding of cultures alongside language – bringing an understanding wherever possible of the cultural context of language and not in isolation

• The value of having a second or multiple languages is reinforced. The world is moving so quickly and our country boundaries are becoming less so. Our children need a language of cultural connectedness to move forward.

• The value of signage in first languages for our students – our children come from many backgrounds and in China, I valued having the characters alongside English, not only for communication but as an acknowledgement of who I was. This could work in reverse for both language development and

• We will continue with our compulsory Mandarin for all students with an extra emphasis on fine-tuning our delivery to really meet the needs of our learners, and not just delivering a programme

• We will introduce Kung-Fu in weekly lessons over two terms for this group of students. This brings greater cultural context to our Chinese learning and gives recognition to our ‘boys education needs’ of the learners in this cohort next year. They can learn the art, discipline and culture of Kung-Fu – it works meeting two educational needs – language and boys’ learning

• Character writing, computer and music resources purchased on this visit will be an integral part of our Chinese language learning programme

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for the young, the old, and those that work. The family units out shopping, working together, collecting children from school, visiting tourist attractions and how the family was celebrated as first teachers during the opening ceremony on the first day of school. Valuing family as a strength and a gift was a significant impression left with me.

cultural comfort for not only our Chinese children, but all children from other cultures. I never quite appreciated how valuable this everyday act is.

Christina Herrick Taieri College

• The speed of change and the enormous resilience of the people to manage this change. Obviously we only saw surface features of society but the impression gained was of a resourceful, purposeful population who have surmounted incredible challenges over their history and will be successful in this next stage of development.

• The other abiding impression was a sense of joy. I did have presumption that all would be sombre and a bit dour. I was challenged in that expectation by the laughter and the sense of

I went with the understanding that Chinese culture and the Chinese language will play an increasingly important part in the development of our country. Having seen that change and growth in the parts of China we visited and gained some sense of the work ethic of the Chinese people, I recognise the importance of closer understanding with China. This is most effective through education on language and culture.

• I have made contact with the representative from the ANZ bank with regard to facilitating visa requirements for prospective students. I have contacted the Education Consul and through her, the local Asia Aware representative with regard to ongoing support for Mandarin classes at Taieri College. I have contacted Madam Dong and have already set up a possible sister school relationship with the Model School we visited.

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optimism that was palpable across all elements of society. It was centred in the love of family and the way the grandparents appeared to be an integral part of the whanau. It did not seem as though they were brought along because 'we have to take mum out on Sunday'. They had a revered and integral part to play in the family and the obvious love and connection was there to see.

• The third element was the dignity that comes from your work. In all areas we came across people working. Doing their bit to contribute to the betterment of society and to show that they were willing to contribute. No job was seen as too lowly or insignificant or beneath one.

Gary Hunt Rangitoto College

• China is definitely a “land on the move”. The amount of new development is staggering. The confidence of the people in their new areas shows a real optimistic approach towards the

• I was very interested in what English the students were learning and what relationship that would have to what Mandarin we could cover. The Y12 students I saw had learned English for 9 years but

• We will investigate the possibility of a language pathway starting in the local primary schools in the long run. In the short term we will offer after school classes in Mandarin as a part of our extension programmes and to tie in with

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future. Despite all of the movement and presumed breaking up of communities, people seem well adjusted and a lot look reasonably well off. They have the appearance of a people who are better off than they were and are happy about it.

struggled to speak much. It seemed that their focus had been on written English. I think that our focus for potential classes would be on the culture and basic verbal communication. I was particularly taken by the comments of the ambassador that schools had a role to play in terms of the goals of the country rather than individually. I had been thinking in terms of our students not the bigger picture. There is clearly a need for our young people to have a cultural understanding if they are to sell more to China. Wine alone would present some issues as wine drinking does not take the same form as in NZ and knowing that would be critical if you were trying to market it.

the community education programme. Longer term I would like to think that we could establish Mandarin as another language at the College.

Irene Ogden Henderson North School

• In many ways while I was looking for difference I actually found the people are like people everywhere - families, loved children, working, teenagers.

• The vibrancy of the country,

preparing for the future - education, planting, roads, transport.

• Have there been changes in your understanding of the place of Chinese language and culture in your school curriculum?

• Have now written cultural literacy,

and particularly Chinese and Mandarin in our school charter so that we can embed it in place.

• Formalise the Confucius classroom, the programme and language and publicise this, open it up to other classrooms.

• Rather than a option activity include

aspects in each classroom

• Make greater use of the Mandarin speakers that we have in the school

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• The amount of English on view, spoken and willingness to try.

• The professor who spoke about

quality change and the discussions on the impact of change on ordinary people.

• The pleasure you can give by simple gestures, such as greeting, in Mandarin to Chinese parents and grandparents.

John Widdup Kelston Intermediate School

• The pace of change in China - this was obvious everywhere with building, the attitude of the people we met to embrace ideas from the west, the talk we had with Embassy staff, the international nature of Shanghai and the changes that have occurred since I was there 6 years ago.

• The great difference between what we saw and talked about during the day and what we saw when we went out later at night to the back streets - China clearly has a great variance between the developing “classes” and those who are part of a significant “under-class”. I saw this very evident in Egypt when I lived there. China is developing at a very fast rate but there are still millions who are very poor and they are evident in the market places and back streets of every city. I’m sure there are millions who we never saw.

• Both schools I saw were almost a

The trip has reinforced my thinking about China and the need for our students to learn more about the language and culture of the country.

--To organise with those schools in the local area who are involved with the Confucius programme to have Mandarin taught at my school from 2012.

--To include opportunities for all students to learn more about the Chinese culture by including opportunities as part of our “Inquiry” curriculum.

--By taking opportunities for teachers and students to liaise, visit and host contacts with schools in China.

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contradiction in what was said by leaders and what we saw. What was expressed by principals was a desire to provide a very holistic education for students but what we saw was very discipline and prescriptive. I could see that their desire seems to be to learn from what the west is doing in creating a more “Inquiry type” pedagogy but they have to change what is a very regimented system. I see this as a dilemma that principals and educationalists will probably grapple with for many decades. I do see this as an area that we can offer China our expertise in assisting teachers to gain the confidence to offer students a more creative programme and a pedagogy based on a less prescriptive curriculum.

Jude Pentecost Worser Bay School

• China being a land of contradictions-old and new, fast and slow, surface and deep.

• The pace of change and the need to take stock and slow things down.

• The industrious nature of the people, no rock left unturned and no opportunity wasted.

• Yes - more of an understanding of modern China and how we may get some children hooked in via the wonderful futuristic architecture of Pudong, technology etc.

• I'm even more committed to spending more time on mandarin and other languages as this is a way into the children

• Explore what resources may be available to support a deepened understanding of 'Modern China'.

• Talk with staff and our part time Mandarin teacher as to where to next with the language programme. All students have now had a ' taster' of Chinese language and culture but where are we heading next? What are the possibilities?

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understanding a range of cultures and ultimately their own.

Madeline Gunn Epsom Girls Grammar

• The size of China and the complexity of its culture.

• The incredible rate of change and what this means for the people.

• The high value placed on education and the commitment of all to it.

• I know more about the work which is being done in some of my contributing schools and would like to provide the opportunity for that to be continued.

• I can see how important China will be to New Zealand in the future and want my students to have an advantage by knowing more about the language and culture

I don’t currently have programmes in the school but I wish to raise the profile of China and Chinese people for the benefit of the 22% of my domestic students who are Chinese. I plan to: • Talk at assemblies and staff meetings

about what I have seen and learned. • Talk with a group of senior Chinese

students about my impressions and what we can do here at school to make life easier for Chinese students, particularly when they first arrive. Involve them in making changes on this.

• Support the introduction of Chinese as a course in Year 9 for next year.

Malcolm Milner Balmoral School

• The sense of self of the Chinese people and its organisations. We are on the global stage and we have the right to be there.

• That in the next five years we will see further dynamic changes in China.

• The huge development since my previous visits.

• That New Zealand schools need to build on the concept of being part of Asia and creating Asia aware students.

• New Zealand need to capitalise on its unique place and education system around creative thought.

• As a school, I would like to send some teachers up to Beijing for the month long language course in January 2012.

• In 2013, I would like to employ a MLA alongside my local schools.

• I would like to further explore Asia NZ and the programmes available to schools.

Megan Jowsey Auckland Girls’ Grammar

• Contrasts of the ancient and slow versus the extremely modern and extremely fast (architecture & transport as examples)

• I realise that we need to make the learning fun, ensure that students are supported and encouraged, make them see the future career

Ensure that we continue to roll out Chinese through the different levels: Yr 9 this year, continues on to Yr 10 next year etc. We need to keep the numbers up to make sure it survives in

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School • Our NZ representatives and our presence in China (embassy staff, students, ANZ bank etc) and the optimism and industry around these people made me feel proud of our country & feel the significance of our growing connections with China

• The power of language - helplessness when surrounded by a language we don’t understand and conversely the power of being a New Zealander who is fluent in Chinese language.

links. • I see the value in students

continuing to study. • Chinese language at secondary • school, they need to be supported

when the going gets tougher, be encouraged to rise to the challenge of studying Chinese, see how it could open doors for them in the future.

our curriculum. I realise that I can help the subject grow in popularity by supporting the teacher, encouraging individual students and also encouraging students in assemblies especially at option choice time. We also need to communicate to our wider school community to ensure they understand the growing significance of Chinese in our children's future world.

Owen Alexander Takapuna Normal Intermediate

• China has a special buzz that comes from a dynamic society that is going places with an air of optimism.

• Whilst there are still challenges for many Chinese they have come a long way in 20 years in so many aspects of modernization. Their willingness to accept new ways of doing things and to adapt is most impressive. This has made their economy the powerhouse of the world.

• The openness of the people at all levels of society and their friendliness made a big

• Yes. Language and culture go together and I need to make sure that both aspects are developed simultaneously in our curriculum.

• I need also to better resource the classes who are lucky to have the support of a Mandarin language assistant and provide resources in the school library for all students. This will enhance language and culture. This is necessary in the other languages we are implementing also.

• I need also to seek opportunities to celebrate our diversity. This can be as simple as acknowledging

• Staff meeting to share trip findings and the importance of Chinese language and culture to NZ

• Budget to increase resources for those teachers supporting Mandarin language teaching in the school. In classrooms and the school library.

• Set up a parent support/liaison group. This group might in the future be able to support the Mandarin language programme.

• Make a school link with a school in Shanghai for the purpose of sharing. Maybe a teacher exchange, e-pals for our students etc. Something that is sustainable and reciprocal. (Have made a

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impression on me. The country feels very relaxed about where it is and the citizens reflect this.

special dates in the cultural calendar to setting up groups specifically to share culture and language.

• I will survey our Chinese parents to see if there is any support our school could offer the Chinese community. e.g. New immigrant family meetings.

• Provide text and non text resources for the school library for our Asian students.

contact already).

Wendy Kofoed Newmarket Primary

• That nothing was as it seemed, with China being a highly complex country, with a wonderfully rich history and yet a strong determination to be 21 century global citizens.

• The roads, with the need for great collaboration, to navigate these safely.

• The many surfaces on which we walked, bright new marble in the city, a tile river floor at Confucius Institute, ancient flagstones in Forbidden City, paths worn smooth at the Great Wall by the numbers of people who had walked on these previously,

• A need for some urgency to ensure staff and all students are more aware of our most important neighbour and its role in the future.

• Given my school students predominantly Chinese ethnicity, I have a much better understanding of their language and culture and the challenges they face in a New Zealand school setting.

• To continue to strengthen Chinese study and programmes in our school.

• To ensure my new knowledge is used to better support teaching staff in their understanding of the place of Chinese programmes in our school.

• To encourage staff (and myself) to take up opportunities provided in New Zealand and off shore to develop Chinese language and culture.

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rocks surrounding the springs, and the uneven rustic paths through the markets.

1

Name School Email

Alison Spence Kohia Terrace School alison@kts.school.nz

Arnna Graham St Joseph's Catholic School a.graham@stjosephs.school.nz

Christina Herrick Taieri College therrick@taieri.school.nz

Gary Hunt Rangitoto College Gary.HUNT@rangitoto.school.nz

Irene Ogden Henderson North School office@hns.school.nz

John Widdup Kelston Intermediate School johnw@kelstonint.school.nz

Jude Pentecost Worser Bay School jpentecost@worserbay.school.nz

Madeline Gunn Epsom Girls Grammar gn@eggs.school.nz

Malcolm Milner Balmoral School Malcolm@balmoral.school.nz

Megan Jowsey Auckland Girls' Grammar School mjowsey@aggs.school.nz

Owen Alexander Takapuna Normal Intermediate oalexander@tnis.school.nz

Wendy Kofoed Newmarket Primary principal@newmarket.school.nz

Elizabeth Binning NZ Herald Elizabeth.Binning@nzherald.co.nz

Stijn te Strake Education New Zealand Stijn.testrake@educationnz.govt.nz

Meng Jinrong Confucius Institute j.meng@auckland.ac.nz

Nora Yao Confucius Institute n.yao@auckland.ac.nz

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EVALUATION SUMMARY

Principals Delegation 2011- Evaluation Preparation to the delegation a b c d e f g

1 8 9 9 8 9 9 9 2 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 3 8 9 9 9 9 8 8 4 9 9 9 9 9 7 9 5 6 9 9 9 9 8 9 6 9 7 9 9 9 9 9 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 5 7 8 8 8 6 8

10 7 7 9 8 8 7 8 11 7 8 7 9 9 8 7 12 8 8 8 7 8 8 8

Average 7.8 8.3 8.7 8.6 8.8 8.1 8.5 The delegation programe a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o

1 8 9 9 9 9 9 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 2 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 3 8 9 8 8 9 9 7 7 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 4 9 9 9 5 9 9 7 7 9 7 8 8 8 8 6 5 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 7 8 8 8 6 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 7 9 9 9 8 8 7 8 8 8 8 9

10 8 8 7 7 8 7 8 9 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 11 7 8 8 8 8 7 6 9 8 7 5 6 8 9 9 12 9 9 9 9 8 9 8 9 8 7 8 7 7 8 9

Average 8.5 8.8 8.7 8.2 8.8 8.7 7.9 8.5 8.8 8.3 8.3 8.0 8.3 8.5 8.5

2