HANBAN – ASIA SOCIETY CONFUCIUS CLASSROOMS NETWORK

2010 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

This Confucius Classrooms Network provides financial and professional support to schools that wish to expand or enhance an existing Chinese language program, or start a new one. In the pages that follow, you will learn more about what it means to be part of this Network – both what is expected of each participating program and the benefits of joining.

Over a three-year period starting in 2009, Hanban and Asia Society will work together to build a dynamic network of 100 Confucius Classrooms from all across the United States. This is a highly selective Network, which currently has 20 Confucius Classrooms. (For more information about Hanban and Asia Society, please see the appendices.)

Please carefully review pages 1-5 on important aspects of the Hanban – Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network, and then follow the instructions from the 6th page to complete your application. The application and supplement materials are due 9 PM ET, on Monday, June 7, 2010.

Description of the Hanban – Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network

Becoming a Member of the Hanban Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network

With the current interest in learning Chinese in American schools, this is an important time to share and codify best practices in the field and shape it as a model for global education in the United States. Our Confucius Classrooms Network is a high profile effort to build the field of Chinese language teaching at the K-12 level in the United States by providing models of success and strategies for growth. This initiative is being guided by an Expert Advisory Committee and an International Honorary Council made up of leaders in the fields of global education, world languages, and US-China relations.

In creating this network, we seek to represent the diversity of the American K–12 education landscape, including schools from various regions of the country, and including urban, suburban, and rural communities, as well as schools of all sizes and types.

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Members of the Network receive a seed grant of $10,000, and funding based on project proposals in the subsequent two years to implement project designed to expand or enhance their Chinese language program; membership in an online community that includes professional resources and professional development opportunities, support for developing a partnership with a school in China, and scholarships and placements for teachers, students, and school administrators to participate in China-based educational programs. We are looking for schools and districts that have the potential to be exemplary programs, and have the energy, interest, and capacity to participate in a range of activities with other members of the national Network, their partner school in China, and with their local and regional communities.

Although we use the word “Classroom,” a “Confucius Classroom” is generally an individual school or a small group of schools within a district that can encompass more than one “classroom” or teacher.

Your local Confucius Institute may also offer the opportunity to become a “Confucius Classroom.” Please note that the application materials and application process for these programs is distinct from those for the Hanban – Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network. If you would like to explore the option of becoming a Confucius Classroom through your local Confucius Institute, please contact them directly about their guidelines and application procedures.

Characteristics of a Confucius Classroom

High quality Chinese language program Commitment to continue improving quality and to make the program

long-term Strong leadership and local support Willing to act as a model/assistance center for the region Vision and capacity to partner with a school in China to enhance

language and culture learning, as well as professional and leadership development

Organizer of cultural activities

Advantages of Participating in the Confucius Classrooms Network

We will select our Confucius Classrooms according to a set of 4 Key Elements (details below) that define a Chinese language program’s effectiveness and

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sustainability over the long term. Programs that are selected as Confucius Classrooms can take advantage of the following opportunities:

Authorization to use the title “Confucius Classroom” Assistance in identifying and developing a partnership with a school in

China A seed grant of $10,000 for the first year. (In the subsequent two

years, funding will be based on annual project proposals). Potential funding for half-time support for a NEW local teacher of

Chinese for up to three years Up to 5 placements for school administrators each year in the Chinese

Bridge Delegation program in China Up to 5 scholarships for summer camp for students who are learning

Chinese Up to 3 scholarships for teachers to attend professional development

programs in China One or two Guest Teachers from China to start or expand Chinese

language classes or provide cultural enrichment activities Participation in professional development with other high quality

programs from across the nation Organizational membership in Asia Society’s Partnership for Global

Learning (for more information, see the Appendix), a network of individuals and institutions aimed at increasing students’ global competency

Attendance at our annual Confucius Classrooms Network Conference and the National Chinese Language Conference

Provision of 1,000 volumes of books, audio-visual, and multimedia materials and courseware

Responsibilities of a Confucius Classrooms Program

Commitment to continuous improvement of the program and willingness to participate in national activities of the Confucius Classrooms Network

Willingness to participate in the development and promotion of best practices in the field

Willingness to provide examples of student work, model lessons, and curricula that may be useful resources for others in the field

Submission of a brief annual report to Asia Society that details (1) program size and growth; (2) professional development offered; (3) outreach to other schools in the region and community activities; (4) plans for the next year; and (5) actual budget and use of funds

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Key Elements of a Confucius Classrooms Program

The 4 Key Elements of a Confucius Classrooms program are organized as follows:

(1) Curriculum and Instruction(2) Integration and Culture (3) Partnerships(4) Leadership

Key Element 1: CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

In a Confucius Classroom:

(a) The curriculum is clearly mapped, coherent, sequenced, and organized around national, state, and local language and content standards

(b) Students use technology and new media to access international resources, connect to international schools and organizations, create new products in Chinese and English, and support all facets of the language learning process

(c) Teachers use a variety of instructional strategies to engage students, meet their learning needs, and immerse students in Chinese language learning, culture, and content with consistent use of the target language and minimal use of English; they use multiple forms of ongoing assessment, including authentic and performance-based measures that enable students to demonstrate mastery of content knowledge and expanding skills and understandings

Key Element 2: INTEGRATION AND CULTURE

* “Integration” refers specifically to the ways in which the Chinese language program is tied to other academic disciplines and other activities in the school.

In a Confucius Classroom:

(a) The curriculum includes connections between language and content

(b) Students experience a wide range of topics in Chinese society and the arts, including classical and contemporary architecture, visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film, theater, news media, business culture, contemporary youth culture, etc.

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(c) Teachers work with other faculty members to develop interconnected disciplinary units that provide cultural background for language study; they create ongoing opportunities for students to use Chinese language and culture as lenses through which to analyze and reflect upon larger topics in linguistic and cultural studies, including the relationship between language and culture, in both English and Chinese

Key Element Three: PARTNERSHIPS

In a Confucius Classroom:

(a) Students actively use their language proficiency, cultural, and content competencies in authentic language settings

(b) Teachers create opportunities for students to use their increasing language skills and intercultural content knowledge in immersive experiences beyond Chinese language classes, especially through ongoing exchanges with native Chinese speakers

(c) Teachers and leaders seek sustained participation and support from the school community, parents and caregivers, and the larger community through events, outreach, and partnerships

Key Element Four: LEADERSHIP

In a Confucius Classroom:

Leaders at both the building and district level actively support the Chinese language program, and offer administrative and financial support, as well demonstrate a proven commitment to providing a range of resources to the program; there is a clearly defined relationship between Chinese language learning and the district’s larger strategic and educational vision

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APPLICATION

The application to join Asia Society’s Confucius Classrooms Network has five sections: Basic Information, Program Proposal, Budget Proposal, Letters of Support, and Application Abstract in Chinese.

The “Basic Information” section must be completed and submitted online. Other sections must be completed in Word or Excel format documents and submitted via email to Ms. Yi Zheng at yzheng@asiasociety.org. All materials must be received by Asia Society no later than 9PM ET on Monday, June 7, 2010.

You may apply as an individual school, as a small group of schools, or as a single district. We require contact information for both an administrator and a teacher working in your program. If more than one teacher is involved in the program, please choose a Coordinating Teacher for the purposes of this application. Membership in the Network is ongoing, with financial support for a period of three years. This includes a seed grant of $10,000, and funding based on programs during the subsequent two year, up to half-time support for a new locally hired teacher, provision of guest teachers, and the other resources detailed above. Membership in the Network may be revoked at any time for schools that do not fulfill the requirements of the program.

Section One: Basic Information

You must fill out the Basic Information section online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2010CCRFPonline

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Section Two: Program Proposal

Please fill in your response in the fields below each question of this Word document submit it by email to Ms. Yi Zheng at yzheng@asiasociety.org. In the name of the document, include your school or district name (for example, “Douglas middle School.doc).

1. General Narrative

In a narrative of 500 – 1,000 words, please provide evidence for the ways in which your current or proposed Chinese language program meets or intends to meet the criteria identified in the 4 Key Elements discussed above. Please make explicit reference to each of the 4 Key Elements in your narrative. Describe for us both the current status of the program and your vision for enhancing and expanding it in the future. Please include references to resources or aspects of your program that you feel would be worth sharing with others in the field. You should also discuss the ways in which the support offered through the Confucius Classrooms Network will be used to expand your program. Please describe in detail the role of a guest teacher or a new locally hired teacher in the next section.

     

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2. Guest Teacher and Local Teacher

Guest TeacherDescribe the role of your Guest Teacher(s) in the Chinese program and the school community, if your school/district current hosts them. If you would like to request one for school year 2011-2012, please explain how they may start or contribute to your Chinese program and how the school community will support him/her.

You must also indicate this request in the online portion of the Application, and review information on the Guest Teacher program administered by the College Board at http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/awards/chinese/guest.

     

Local TeacherIf you would like to request funding support in the amount of a half-time teacher salary (up to $30,000), in order to help hire additional Chinese language teacher starting in school year 2010-2011, please indicate so in the online portion of this Application. In a narrative below, please describe and clarify:

1. The purpose of hiring this additional teacher locally, e.g. adding more sections to your Chinese program, adding levels to the program, expanding enrichment aspect of the Chinese program to the broader school community.

2. Intention and plan on the part of the school/district to phase in funding support over the next 2-3 years to eventually fully cover this instructor on the school/district’s payroll.

3. Qualifications and requirements which this new hire must meet, e.g. academic degree, state certification, teaching experience.

4. The pay level at which this new teacher will be hired. (Please attached in a scan/PDF format the latest pay scale)

     

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3. Partnership Program Plan

One of the main expectations of a Confucius Classroom is the establishment of a sustainable exchange partnership with a school in China or the enhancement/expansion of an existing partnership. In a narrative of 500 – 1,000 words, please describe the strategies you will use to structure and sustain an ongoing partnership with a Chinese school. This would include the strategies for communication, specific activities that students will be involved in, and the kinds of projects or products you envision coming out of the partnership. If you have an existing exchange program with a Chinese school (or with schools in other countries), please also include a description of it, with specific reference to the nature and frequency of communication between students and faculty.

Please refer to the matrix on the next page, for some guidance on effective strategies for creating and maintaining partnerships.

     

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Partnership Development Matrix- a guide to show what a Confucius Classroom is and how it could develop in terms of developing a partnership with a Chinese school.

Students Faculty Leaders

Basi

c

Engage in brief exchange activities, requires little or no Chinese competencyvia technology introductory

videoconferencing join a group online

community with students in China

in-person short trip to experience

China

Establish initial contact with partner school via technology establish email

connection with teachers in China

join online community

in-person participate in a short-term

study mission host short-term visiting

teachers from China

Investigate a partnershipvia technology establish email connection

with principals in China join online community

in-person engage in initial contact with

the partner school through mutual visit

some communication with key contacts in the partner school

Inte

rmed

iate

Participate in short-term, well-structured projects with emphasis on language learningvia technology share media or laboratory

projects with students in China

in-person summer camp visits with home stay

Maintain regular contact with partner school teachers, via online or in-person activitiesvia technology post instructional

materials study and adapt materials

posted by Chinese teachers

in-person classroom shadowing joint professional training engage colleagues in

other disciplines

Conduct regular/in-depth partnership activities with partner school leadersvia technology establish a school-to-school

portal webpage that facilitates programs and activities

in-person regular communication with

the partner school host a principal shadow group

from China organize community events

Com

preh

ensi

ve

Regularly participate in longer- term collaborative programs that connect with one’s curriculumvia technology identify, research and

propose solutions to a shared problem through online collaboration

debates on relevant topics

in-person joint projects joint seminars and

discussion in-session visits community service

Conceptualize and organize activities that regularly connect the school’s teachers and studentsvia technology creatively use technology

to conduct joint units or project instruction

in-person exchange curriculum co-direct a project for a

specific unit organize a seminar on a

topic of mutual interest

Organize and participate in regular structured partnership activitiesvia technology explore new

technologies/resources to enhance school-to-school partnership overall

in-person joint training with counterpart

principals engage the community in

convening resources for furthering of the partnership

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4. Chinese Language Program Plan

In a narrative of 500 – 1,000 words, please describe the ways in which your program will use the funds and resources offered through the Confucius Classrooms Network to support the development of an innovative and sustainable Chinese language program.

The project may be focused at the classroom, school, or district level. It may also include proposals to conduct local or regional training for Chinese language teachers or administrators interested in starting Chinese language programs or in making their existing programs more successful and sustainable.

Funding is in the form of a seed grant of $10,000, renewable for up to three years. The funds may be used for the purchase of teaching materials and technology, for student or teacher travel, organizing community events, offering professional development, etc. These funds may not be used to fund a teacher salary; subsidies for teacher salaries will be funded separately (up to half-time salary to hire a NEW Chinese language teacher).

Please include a detailed description of the first year of your project and the ways in which the project would continue or expand in the second and third years.

We particularly encourage proposals that relate to the application of cutting-edge approaches to language learning in the Chinese language classroom; the integration of the Chinese language program with other academic disciplines; the expansion of cultural activities to include contemporary Chinese arts, film, and society; the use of technology and new media; the establishment of community and school partnerships; and outreach activities aimed at expanding capacity for Chinese language teaching in your region.

     

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Section Three: Budget Proposal and NarrativeDownload the budget template at http://asiasociety.org/files/confucius-rfp3.xls. Using the Excel spreadsheet, please provide a proposed budget for your project.

Include information about all costs necessary to implement your proposed project up to $10,000. Please organize the proposed budgets according to the categories listed in the document and then provide a brief narrative in the space below that explains the budgeted items. Funds may be applied to the purchase of materials and technology, student and teacher travel, professional development activities, outreach and community events. The seed grant of $10,000 may NOT be applied to teacher salaries or living or personal expenses of any kind.

In the space below, please provide clear explanations and any appropriate context for the items listed in your proposed budget.

     

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Section Four: Letters of Support

Please attach 2 letters of support, one from a building level leader (usually a principal) and one from a district level leader (usually a superintendent or world languages supervisor). These letters should indicate how an ongoing commitment to the vitality and sustainability of the Chinese language program fits into a larger educational and strategic vision for your school/district. Please submit letters either via email to yzheng@asiasociety.org or fax to the attention of Chris Livaccari, Associate Director for Chinese Language Initiatives, Asia Society, at 212-717-1234.

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Section Five: Application Abstract in Chinese

请用中文完成以下各个部分。一、 学校简介（可以包括学校历史，学生和教师人数，中文学生人数，中文教师人数，

硬件设施，荣誉称号等等）     

二、 办学理念     

三、 中文在学校发展策略中的地位、现状、以及扩展或提高的计划     

四、 若准备接受自愿者教师或申请经费雇用本地教师，请在此说明     

五、 与中国学校校际交流的经验（若已有合作学校），以及今后深入开展合作的计划     

六、 社区包括家长的支持态度     

七、 孔子课堂项目运作和管理人员构成的计划     

八、 经费申请以及校方投入的计划     

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Appendix I: About Asia Society’s Partnership for Global Learning

Asia Society is the leading global and pan-Asian organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of the United States and Asia. We seek to increase knowledge and enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of arts and culture, policy and business, and education.

Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution with offices in Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, and Washington, DC.

The mission of Asia Society’s Partnership for Global Learning (PGL) is to ensure that the next generation of high school graduates in the United States is prepared for the challenges and responsibilities of an increasingly interdependent world.

Strategies:

Expanding the number of schools offering Chinese through publications such as Creating a Chinese Language Program in Your School: An Introductory Guide, DVDs including Learning Chinese in American Schools, field leadership, convening and communication, the National Chinese Language Conference, and the Confucius Classrooms Network.

Creating globally-focused school models of excellence, and developing tools, curriculum, and best practices to create students who graduate both college-ready and globally competent. The centerpiece of this work is the International Studies Schools Network, a national network of small urban secondary schools devoted to international studies and world languages. With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, these schools are successfully preparing primarily low-income and minority students for college, work, and citizenship in a global age and act as models for school reform. Also, Going Global: Preparing Our Students for an Interconnected World and an upcoming guide on adding an international dimension to elementary schools are among a range of tools provided to educators.

Promoting global learning as a key component to high-quality afterschool programs and as a means to collaborate with schools to achieve essential 21st century outcomes for youth. Our recent guidebook

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and DVD Expanding Horizons: Building Global Literacy in Afterschool Programs provides promising practices and resources to the field. We are now working to assist statewide afterschool networks across the country to integrate global literacy into their professional development systems.

Fostering national and state policy initiatives including the States

Network on International Education, a network of more than 24 states developing policies and action plans to promote international education in their schools, revise curriculum standards and teacher preparation to incorporate international content, harness technology, and expand world languages. Further, a national policy statement co-signed by leading education and business organizations, Putting the World into World-Class Education, provides options for federal policy change.

Sharing best practices from around the world by connecting schools in the United States to schools in Asia, as well as organizing a series of Asia-Pacific Forums on Education in China, India, and the United States to discuss the challenges of globalization to education. A new initiative, Learning With the World, will build on these efforts to bring together educators in America, Asia, and the world to focus on solutions to common problems and issues in education.

Web Resources provide a broad range of background knowledge about Asia, curriculum materials, graphic resources, video and audio resources, and other materials to support education about Asia.

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Appendix II: About Asia Society’s Chinese Language Initiatives

Asia Society’s Chinese language work is a core component of The Partnership for Global Learning. We see the expansion of Chinese language programs in the United States as an opportunity to create models of globally-focused, multilingual education.

Confucius Classrooms NetworkThe Confucius Classrooms Network is an innovative new project aimed at developing a national network of 100 exemplary Chinese language programs over the next three years. Starting with 20 pioneer schools in the first year, our “Confucius Classrooms” will serve as model sites for developing the field of Chinese language teaching in American schools. Through the establishment of an online community, targeted professional development for Chinese language teachers in the network, and annual Confucius Classrooms Network conferences, we are creating the infrastructure for the development of effective and sustainable Chinese language programs for American students. The Initiative asks each of its schools to implement an innovative project aimed at enhancing or expanding its Chinese language program, and to develop an ongoing partnership with a school in China. This project has been established with the support of an International Experts Committee and an Honorary Advisory Committee, and in partnership with Hanban, the Chinese government agency spearheading the establishment of Chinese language programs overseas. The first Confucius Classrooms will be announced in December 2009.

National Chinese Language Conference 2010April 22–24, 2010 Our third National Chinese Language Conference (NCLC 2010), co-sponsored with the College Board, will be held in Washington, D.C. April 21–24, 2010, and will continue to serve as the principal national forum for supporting the growth of Chinese language programs in the United States. The conference aims to engage policymakers, offer support to schools seeking to establish and sustain high quality Chinese language programs, and to explore critical issues in the field, including building ongoing partnerships with Chinese schools, early language acquisition, and Chinese across the curriculum. We will also help schools understand the larger contexts for Chinese language education by offering a focus on contemporary Chinese arts and culture, as well as sessions on teacher preparation programs and Chinese in higher education.

“Learning Chinese in American Schools” DVD ReleaseAs US education sees an explosion of interest in establishing high quality Chinese language programs, many schools are struggling with the daunting task of building programs that are effective and sustainable over the long term. Asia Society continues to lead the charge in this area with the upcoming release of our DVD, “Learning Chinese in American Schools.” Offering a number of case

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studies, including the growth of Chinese language programs in the city of Chicago and the state of Minnesota, the DVD aims to illustrate best practices for establishing effective Chinese language programs, including a segment entitled “Why Chinese and Why Now” that is designed to help educators and policymakers make the case for Chinese language education in their communities.

China and Globalization Online ProjectWorking with a select team of language, content, and technology advisors, we are developing a unique set of interactive online Chinese language learning materials focused on integrating social studies content with language learning experiences for students in elementary, middle, and high school Chinese language programs. Taking a historical perspective on the development of contemporary Chinese society, we are developing three major thematic units on (1) environmental issues, (2) economy and trade; and (3) the exchange of culture and ideas. These materials are designed to be used by Chinese language teachers, social studies teachers, and others interested in building interdisciplinary content into their Chinese language program. The first lessons will be available online early in 2010.

Chinese Language Initiatives Newsletter, Online Resources, and PublicationsThrough a monthly electronic newsletter, Asia Society’s Chinese Language Initiatives team continues to engage educators, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders in the developing field of Chinese language education. We provide online resources aimed at helping administrators start effective Chinese language programs, helping teachers learn about best practices in curriculum and instruction, and offering thought leaders in the field perspectives on language acquisition, partnerships and exchanges, and the integration of Chinese language and other academic content in American schools. We also continue to distribute publications that offer support for schools interested in establishing new programs or enhancing the scope or quality of existing ones, such as our “New York Task Force on Chinese Language Initiatives” and “Creating a Chinese Language Program in Your School.”

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Appendix III: About Hanban / Confucius Institute Headquarters

MissionHanban is a Chinese government agency committed to making Chinese language and culture teaching resources and services available to the world, to meeting the demands of overseas Chinese learners, and to contributing to the formation of a world of cultural diversity and harmony.

Goals To devise policies and development plans for promoting the Chinese

language internationally under the leadership of the Chinese Language Council International;

To support Chinese language programs at educational institutions of various types and levels in other countries;

To guide the Confucius Institute Headquarters in the establishment of Confucius Institutes;

To set criteria for teaching Chinese as a foreign language and assessment; to develop and promote Chinese language teaching materials;

To set standards for certifying teachers of Chinese as a foreign language and training of such teachers; to send Chinese teachers and volunteers on missions abroad; to provide certification examination for teaching Chinese as a foreign language;

To set criteria for establishing online learning of Chinese as a foreign language and to build a website platform for access of relevant resources;

To develop and promote different varieties of assessment tools for Chinese as a foreign language.

Major Initiatives

Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms have witnessed steady development while emphasizing quality education. By the end of 2008, with the cooperation of 78 countries and regions, Hanban has established 249 Confucius Institutes and 56 Confucius Classrooms. A special work committee has been set up by Hanban to inspect and guide the work of Confucius Institutes around the world.

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A series of “Chinese Bridge” delegations, summer camps, scholarships, competitions have strengthened education exchanges between China and other countries.

Selection and training of Chinese teachers has been reinforced and nearly 4,000 teachers and volunteers have been dispatched to more than 109 countries.

Research, development and teaching materials have benefit thousands of schools in more than 100 countries with the distribution of more than 1.3 million volumes.

Confucius Institute Online has been officially launched to offer Chinese courses and teaching resources globally.

The development and management of Chinese language examinations, which reached 310,000. Over 128 overseas examination sites have been established in 51 countries.

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