Partner School Communications

If you are having difficulty connecting with your partner school, please keep in mind that it can take time to develop a working relationship. This is especially true if your team did not have an administrator present during the school visit when you were in Shandong. For example, you may have sent emails that did not get a response. Chinese culture and the education system works very differently from ours. Teachers, for example, do not have the authority to independently make school decisions. Administrators on the Chinese side may not respond to American non-administrators because they did not believe you have the authority to conduct business for the school.

Until you have a working relationship with your school where decisions on both sides have agreed to the relationship protocol, there may be some difficulty with communications. I suggest that correspondence with your school be sent through the principal of your school or the assistant superintendent or superintendent level. The Chinese are not accustomed to decisions being made at non-administrative levels. Once you have agreed upon such activity as an email exchange with students or other projects, then correspondence can take place at other levels.

For more formal visits the school needs to submit paperwork to the municipal education department. This takes time so you may not get a prompt response. If your request includes homestays, do not be too surprised if there is reluctance on the Chinese side. While the Chinese may be very willing to host, they may be afraid that their homes would be unacceptable to Americans. They do not want you to be disappointed so they may decide to place you in a hotel instead. Once they get to know you and realize that you are comfortable with the food and a less spacious enviornment, they may be more likely to accept your homestay request.

Many of the schools we work with have had little contact with Americans. It may take time for the two sides to become comfortable with each other. If you are having difficulty in planning a visit to your partner school or getting project ideas considered, please let me know. If necessary, I can provide a support letter to assist you.