Mandarin Chinese in Curriculum at St Catherine of Siena School

With the arrival of two Chinese guest teachers at Saint Catherine of Siena School this fall, every student in the school is now learning both a European language – Spanish and an Asian language – Chinese. For the past two years, the school offered an afterschool class in Mandarin Chinese for interested students. Building on the success of that program, the Academic Excellence Subcommittee of the School Advisory Board and Saint Catherine’s School Principal, Mary Russo, knew it was time to include Mandarin Chinese as part of the curriculum.
With a grant from the College Board and the Confucius Institute of China (Hanban), two guest teachers were recruited and are currently working with students to introduce them to the Chinese language and culture. Confucius Institute (Hanban) has sent over 18,000 volunteers to 101 countries since 2004. The institute’s mission is to promote cultural and educational exchanges between China and the rest of the world. Time Asian magazine recently reported on the current need for learning Chinese worldwide and stated, “If you want to be ahead of others, learn Chinese.”
Saint Catherine of Siena School is benefiting by the energetic teaching styles of these two Chinese guest teachers. Mr. Peibin Tang is an experienced English and Chinese teacher and has taught at a primary school in Yunnan, China, as well as in Ohio and Spain. Ms. Dayan Chen, also an experienced teacher of English and Chinese, taught in both China and Thailand. This is her first experience in the U.S. Both teachers look forward to teaching younger children and reaching out to the upper grades as the school year continues.
Tang recently introduced himself to students and parents; “This is a good time to broaden your vision and understanding and learn about the diversity of this world," Tans said. "You will gradually find out the rewards of cross-cultural learning and communication.”
If you are interested in enrolling in Saint Catherine of Siena School, contact Linda Canniff, Director of Admissions, (781) 769-5354 ext. 262 or admissions@scsnorwood.org to schedule a tour of the school.