To the other side of the world and back!!

There is no doubt that it can be scary to actually use your foreign language in the real world.  We practice and learn in a safe controlled environment, after years of practice we hope that we can go forth and actually use what we learn.  However, there is always that small fear that we will just choke when it actually comes to using our language ability.  You know, the truth is that when it comes right to it you will make mistakes, but that helps you learn even more.  I just got back from a week long training trip with Mrs. Hussey.  The entire trip was in Chinese, classes were from 8:30 a.m. to 7or 8 at night.  I would be lying if I said I did perfectly.  

Perfect is not the point.  The real point is talking with people and making friends in a foreign land.  We may not all talk the same but I met and talked with great teachers from all over the world.  I learned a lot about teaching to bring back to the students.  No risk no reward. 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't take time to have some fun though : )
Greetings from China.

Two more great visitors!!

Last week second graders got a great opportunity to meet two visitors from China.  Two study abroad teaching students from the University of Iowa visited Kalona Elementary and gave a great presentation to second graders about school life in China.  The University of Iowa's International Classroom Journey program has been invaluable in providing great speakers to help our students broaden their world view.

Here one of the Presenters Fei Fei teaches the students how to do some traditional paper folding.

Visitor from China

We were lucky to have a very special guest last Friday.  A visiting exchange student from China came and talked to our 4th and 5th graders for about an hour.  She talked about what it is like to live in China, specifically, elementary school life and how it was fairly different from our elementary school life here.  The students had great questions and got to learn some fun crafts while showing off their own Chinese!!

The 5th graders were great listeners for our speaker.

Here 4th graders got to learn about ribbon dancing and tried a little themselves.

Our own Principal Cayton joined in on the dancing!!

We will have another visitor from China this Friday in the morning to talk to the 1st graders.  We are all very excited!!