Jiang Xuyang, a 2015 Bachelor’s recipient and 2018 Master’s in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages recipient from Jilin International Studies University (JISU), has been officially assigned as a Chinese teacher by the Confucius Institute Headquarters, Hanban, in Beijing. Jiang was previously a Mandarin instructor in South Korea, the United States, and England.
Under the guidelines of public welfare, featuring social responsibility and mission as the utmost policy of JISU, I am consciously committed to introducing Chinese culture to any international friend who would like to understand the positive assets of Chinese civilization. I have motivated myself to achieve such a goal with proactive solidarity and dedication, in pursuit of sublime cultural diversity and spiritual orientation.
In 2011, in hope of teaching Chinese abroad, I enrolled at JISU. I made efforts to brush up on my English. With the help of my international friends and by frequenting English Corner’s on campus, I patiently improved my spoken English as a second language. As a plus, the Global Village—a national experimental teaching demonstration center, with 13 foreign culture-related chambers—also gave me opportunities to understand international cultures and seek basic understanding of different foreign languages. I was inspired by JISU’s mission to provide students with the most reliable, responsible and quality education during my 4-year university life, and often learned to seek better instructional methodology from the perspectives of international students on campus.
After graduation in 2015, I continued my studies at JISU in the Master’s of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Language (MTCSOL) program. In November 2015, I successfully passed the Chinese Teacher Volunteer test assigned by Hanban.
After eleven months of teaching at Kwangju Women’s High School in South Korea, the head master presented me a pen inscribed with his name and encouraged me to continue my efforts for promoting reciprocal exchanges between China and South Korea. I also received cards from my Korean students with blessings written in both Chinese square characters and pinyin — 万事如意, wàn shì rú yì (All well for you), shēn tǐ jiàn kāng (Wish you good health) — and accepted their spoken good wishes of xiè xiè lǎo shī (Thank you, Teacher) or xī wàng nǐ zài huí lái (Looking forward to your visit again). I was awarded the 2017 Excellent Chinese Teacher Volunteer by Hanban because of my good performances in South Korea.
In August of 2017, I was assigned to be a Chinese teacher in the Confucius Institute co-established by JISU and New Jersey City University in America. Against the backdrop of multi-culturalism in the U.S., I learned to respect and appreciate cultural diversity through exchanges with American students while teaching them Chinese language and culture.
I conducted 50 plus Chinese culture lectures for more than 1,000 students in colleges and high schools during my 10 months of work. I also participated in or organized over 100 Chinese culture-themed activities for communities and primary and junior high schools. I especially enjoyed the events in March of 2018 that were related to Chinese Spring Festival, co-organized with the New Jersey City University, local enterprises and communities.
I was impressed with the charm of Chinese culture amid a Chinese Fashion Show held in the Special Education School of New Jersey City University. I worked with the American teachers to lead over 100 handicapped children to display more than 30 Chinese costumes with ethnic characteristics. The students also played Cucurbit Flute (a traditional Chinese musical instrument) and showed Tai Chi on the stage. All of the audience was moved by their final performances of dance to the music of The Hottest Ethnic Trend. The principal of the school emotionally said, “Confidence and admiration of life was bolstered for all the children by this event—the Best Gift.”
Now, I am a Chinese teacher at the Confucius Institute of the University of Manchester in England, officially assigned by Hanban, in charge of Chinese instructing and organization of cultural activities. I have always been grateful for the instruction and education from JISU and my teachers. I will continue to pursue Chinese language teaching and contribute to a goodwill ambassadorship of Chinese culture, guided by JISU’s motto—to train students to be familiar with Chinese and Western cultures and knowledge, to temper a student’s determination and to lay a solid foundation whereby every student can become one of the pillars of a bridge.
