 |
| Teo and I love Shanghai Normal University (SHNU)! |
Nĭ hăo,
My name is
Christina Santiago, I am an Elementary and Special Education (Dual) major at
UNC-G and this Summer I have had the pleasure to study at Shanghai Normal
University (SHNU) at Shanghai, China! To begin, I want to express how grateful
I feel for being here. Studying abroad began as a dream that later turned into
a goal and now it is finally a reality. But, to be completely honest, I was not
always sure of where I wanted to study abroad I just knew that I wanted to go
study outside of the country and the faculty-led program through the School of
Education was a great opportunity for me to turn my goal into reality. What really
sealed my decision to study abroad here was the collaboration we’d be
participating in with Mathematics teachers here in Shanghai, China. Little did
I know that the best part was yet to come... I am now on my third and final
week here in Shanghai and although I am a bit sad, I plan to continue to make
the most of it. Keep reading to find out more about Shanghai and my adventures
here! J
 |
| Nanjing Road, Shanghai, China. |
About Shanghai, China
Shanghai is such a large metropolitan city that offers many cultural sites. One of the most famous sites is Nanjing Road, the main shopping street of Shanghai and one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. Nanjing Road, which is divided into two sections, leads you to another well-known site, The Bund. At The Bund, you can experience a beautiful view of the modern, “new,” Shanghai, which includes the sighting of the famous Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai Tower, and many other skyscrapers.
 |
| A walk through Nahjing Road! |
 |
| View of Shanghai from The Bund! |
Educational Experiences
As mentioned, one of our
responsibilities of studying abroad through this program is to collaborate with
Mathematical teachers and experience the Chinese education. I have been honored
to intern at the Shanghai Experimental School International District (SESID). To
give you some background information about SESID, it is a public primary school
that serves international students from all over the world. Therefore, the
students who attend this school are not considered Shanghai local residents.
The students that attend SESID attend this school mainly because their families
have moved here for reasons such as job relocations, etc. Nevertheless, the
students are held to the same educational expectations as other local students.
Perhaps the biggest difference is that their instruction can sometimes be
bilingual rather than 100% in Mandarin. But, generally, students are able to
learn Mandarin as they progress through their school years here at SESID.
 |
| Student
game competition at SESID. |
Something I have really been
enjoying about the education system here in China, specifically in Shanghai, is
the idea of allowing students to play, experiment and perform… an idea that is emphasized
by the Lloyd International Honors College. In the picture above, the 3rd
graders are seen competing with each other in a fun mathematics game. But… not
just any game… it is a game that specifically reviews the unit they have
completed. It is very typical to see students engaging in fun activities that
involve movement to practice and assess their knowledge rather than seeing them
complete worksheets after worksheets or tests. In fact, last week we observed
an entire school participate in a poem competition and lots of other activities
that involved poems. The curriculum here is also fast paced compared to our
curriculum in North Carolina but nonetheless; I enjoy seeing how they learn in
fun and creative ways. For example, in China every class lasts 35 minutes and
after every class students are given a 10-minute break where they are allowed
to play all over the school… literally! I know it sounds chaotic but they are
so independent and disciplined that I was impressed myself, and still am the
more I am exposed to it.
 |
| Shopping
for supplies, Mathematical activity at SESID |
Also, at
SESID, and in schools across the country, children are encouraged to
participate in numerous electives and extracurricular activities of their
choice. One of the electives that SESID offers is the Gu Zheng elective, where
children have the opportunity to learn how to play this traditional Chinese
instrument… and just to say the least… THESE STUDENTS ARE TALENTED!
 |
| Learning
how to play the Gu Zheng, a traditional instrument |
More Experiences and Cultural Sites
 |
| Wearing
a Han Fu at the SHNU Feng Xian Campus
Modeling
in my Han Fu, traditional Chinese dress, because you aren’t really emerging
into a culture until you step into their traditional clothing… no really
though. The traditional dresses are very beautiful and comfortable… I almost
wanted to take it home!
|
 |
| Chenghuang Temple, burning leaves to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. |
Because I
am studying here during the summer, I have been fortunate enough to experience
the Dragon Boat Festival, a national holiday here in China. This festival lasts
3 days and people are typically given a 3-day vacation so that they can spend
this holiday with their families. A lot of tourists can be seen here during
this time as well. Because it is a national holiday that brings families together,
people are usually seen engaging in different activities, from visiting
cultural sites to staying home and enjoying traditional meals.
 |
| Chenshan
Botanical Garden (Songjiang District). |
Photos of the beautiful Chenshan Botanical Garden!!
Another
one of my favorite things about China is the Botanical Gardens that are located
throughout the country. I went to visit the Chenshan Botanical Garden here in
Shanghai and I must say it was a breathtaking, yet a relaxing, experience. These
gardens are a must see! In fact, the environmental efforts here have challenged
my perspective of what I thought China, more specifically Shanghai, was like.
Too many times I heard that the pollution is bad and the population is too
high, yet I am so impressed with their effort to decrease their waste. For
example, in just about every block you run into both trash cans and recycling
cans. But that is not all; I was even more surprised with the limited amount of
litter that I see around the streets of Shanghai, considering its population of
approximately 24 million people.
 |
| Cultural sightseeing in QiBao, Shanghai, China |
 |
| Kung Fu kick in QiBao, Shanghai, China. |
Personally,
studying abroad has allowed me to get to know myself a little better as I have
found myself having to be a bit more independent than the usual. This
experience has also allowed me to get to know and experience a culture that is
completely different from my own. But the best part of it all, I have built
meaningful and life-long relationships with SHNU undergraduates and Shanghai
educators. In fact, being emerged in this culture and their education system
has challenged and impacted my perspective on education in ways that I never
imagined. Everything I have learned here are things I hope to adapt as a future
teacher and incorporate in my own classroom, in some way, in hopes to model an
ideal education for all students. It saddens me to think that I will only be
here for one more week. Nonetheless, I plan to continue emerging in this
culture for the time left. So… my advice to anyone reading this is, if studying
abroad is crossing your mind or is simply a dream for now, hold on to that
dream and work towards turning it into a reality. “It’s a life changing experience,” says
everyone… and genuinely, it really is! That is all for now, I must go and enjoy
my last week in this beautiful country! J
 |
| Delicious
food with friends! |
MORE INFORMATION?
Because it
would take me a lifetime to discuss all of my experiences on this blog, please feel
free to contact me if you would like to learn more about Shanghai, China, the
program I am participating in, or more about general study abroad information.
Email: c_santia@uncg.edu
Zàijiàn,
Christina Santiago
Shanghai Normal University
Spring 2017
