Seminar 1, Saturday, February 2

Location: Connecticut Association of Schools, Connecticut Principals' Center, Cheshire, CT
http://www.casciac.org/directions.shtml

Important: For Saturday, February 2, make sure your have made a photo copy of the inside page of your passport, completed payment and signed release form. If you have not completed all the forms or submitted them, you can bring them to the meeting. I will bring extra copies. Please bring business card or equivalent information so a Chinese business card can be prepared if you have not already done so.

Time: 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Agenda

8:00 - 8:30 Arrival and Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00 Welcome and Introductions, Lou Pear and Dan Gregg (Ge Dan)

9:00 - 10:00 Language and Culture, Bing Liu

10:00 - 10:15 Break

10:15 - 11:30 Building a Relationship with China: The Connecticut-Shandong Experience, Dan Gregg (Ge Dan)

11:30 - 12:00 Preparing for China, Dan Gregg (Ge Dan)

Lunch Provided 12:00 Noon

1:00 - 2:00 Thinking Ahead About Exchange, Caryn Stedman

Yingjie Liu, graduate student, University of Connecticut will be conducting research on the Connecticut Shandong School Partnership program. Ms. Liu is from Shandong Province and her research will also include partnership schools in Shandong. She will join us for the seminar.

Suggested Reading List

Some reading in advance to our visit to China is recommended in order to begin to understand China’s history, geography, culture and dynamics of the current and future role of China in the world.

History
I recommend two standard books often used as texts for courses. Understanding China is a quick read; Search for Modern China is more comprehensive. Genghis Khan challenges western historical perspective and helps one to reflect on historical evidence when visiting China. The Great Wall reflects on conflicting, converging and confusing western and China perspectives on the role of the "wall" in China's past and present.

Search for Modern China by Jonathan D. Spence, Norton, 1999, ISBN: 0393973514. Understanding China: A Guide to China’s Economy, History and Political Culture by John Bryan Starr, Hill and Wang, 2001, ISBN: 0809094894. Genghis Khan by Jack Weatherford, Crown, 2005, ISBN: 0609809644. The Great Wall by Julia Lovell, Grove/Atlantic,Inc., 2006, ISBN: 0802118143

Guide Books for Reference
I prefer Lonely Planet but any guide and language reference can provide a quick overview for basic survival. China by Damian Harper, et al, Lonely Planet, 2005, ISBN: 1740596870 Mandarin Phrasebook, Justin Ben-Adam Rudelson, Charles Qin, 2000, ISBN: 0864426526.

Education and Society
I have not read The Diary of Ma Yan but I find the reviews compelling in reading about education culture in China. We will have briefings on the education system and education reform in our seminars and in presentations in China. Oracle Bones is a view of contemporary China exploring the lives of people drawing on history, economy, education, political and social life.

The Diary of Ma Yen: The Struggles and Hopes of a Chinese Schoolgirl by Ma Yan, HarperCollins, 2005, ISBN: 0060764961. Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler, HarperCollins, 2006, ISBN-13: 9780060826581, ISBN-10: 0060826584.

Business and Economy
The hottest books in the market are in this category and new titles frequently appear. China plays a major role in The World is Flat, one of the most talked about books in the media today. China Shakes the World is an insightful book on Chinese economics and business. It compares China's recent development to economic development in the United States in the late 19th century. It is also an eye opener to Chinese political, economic and social culture. Other books worth giving consideration are: The Changing Face of China, One Billion Customers and Power Shift. The State of China Atlas also appears to be a good reference for understanding the scale of China’s economy. The Chinese Negotiator is an insightful book that offers case studies and information to access Chinese culture. As one begins to understand the central role of quanxi, trust and relationships take on a whole new meaning.

The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005, ISBN: 0374292884. China Shakes the World by James Kynge, Houghton Mifflin, 2006, ISBN-10: 0618705643 and ISBN-13: 9780618705641. The Changing Face of China: From Mao to Market by John Gittings, Oxford, 2005, ISBN: 0192806122. One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China by James McGregor, Free Press, 2005, ISBN: 0743258398. Power Shift: China and Asia’s New Dynamics by David Shambaugh, University of California, 2006, ISBN: 0520245709. The State of China Atlas: Mapping the World’s Fastest Growing Economy by Stephanie Hemelryk Donald and Robert Benewick, University of California, 2005, ISBN: 0520246276. The Chinese Negotiator, Robert M. March and Su-Hua Wu, Kodansha International, Ltd., 2007, ISBN: 978-4-770-3028-3.

Become a Fluent Mandarin Speaker in Minutes

Nobody has ever said that learning a language is easy but there are some methods of instruction that are more helpful than others. I suggest Basic Mandarin Chinese by Pimsleur. You can practice off CD's in the privacy of your car on the way to and from work.

Saturday Weather, Dress and Contact Information

There will be few cars on the road on a Saturday morning so you should not experience congested traffic as you travel to CAS at 30 Realty Drive, Cheshire, CT.

We will begin the program at 8:30 AM. Light breakfast food will be available beginning at 8:00 AM. It is Saturday so dress is casual.

When you arrive at CAS there will be two registration stations in our meeting room: one will be for the Sister School Delegation and the other for the Principal Shadowing and Teacher Confucian Delegation. Your name tag and notebook will be at the designated station.

My cell phone number is: 860-712-8666. My winter inclement weather policy is use good judgement and make your own decision. This comes from a winter veteran who has dealth with winters in Minnesota and Vermont for 20 years. Provide ample time, take your time and drive safely. If weather is bad, check this website for information prior to 6:00 AM.

Some Updates: Getting Ready for China

February 2 is not far away so I want to provide a few reminders for our first meeting:

1. Make sure your payments are in with check payable to the Connecticut Association of Schools and mailed to CAS, 30 Realty Drive, Cheshire, CT 06410. The cost is $1,200 per person for those in the Sister School Program (April 11-21) and $1,500 per person for those in the Principal Shadowing and Teacher Confucian Program (April 8-21).

2. Make sure you have made a copy of the inside page of your passport (the page with your photo, passport number, name etc.) and send to Connecticut Association of Schools, 30 Realty Drive, Cheshire 06410 . We must have this page in order to purchase tickets. We DO NOT need your passports at this time. We will collect them later when we apply for the Chinese visa. If by chance you do not have a valid passport (six months expiration date beyond April 21), then please do so immediately and have it expedited!

3. United Airlines out of Bradley is becoming increasingly problematic due to the size of our delegations. As an option, I am looking at Air China out of JFK. It is a direct flight to Beijing and offers considerably more flexibility in accommodating groups. I am exploring group travel services to JFK should we choose this alternative.

4. Please consult the home page blog, China Update, for an invitation to a Chinese New Year celebration on Sunday, February 3, 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Central Connecticut State University. It will provide you with an opportunity to connect with the local Chinese community and have an experience with Chinese culture. Families welcome!