Each year, as part of a long-running reciprocal exchange program, Harker’s global education department hosts a visiting teacher from the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS) in Shanghai.
This year, from Sept.12-25, students and faculty warmly welcomed Ye Wang (who goes by the English nickname Athena). Wang is an upper school biology teacher at WFLMS, Harker’s sister school in China.
She said she greatly enjoyed her very first visit to the United States, where she spent time observing and teaching science classes at Harker’s lower, middle and upper schools.
“Athena was thrilled by all the science labs she visited and the incredible conversations with students she had,” reported Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education.
Wang shared that she was most impressed by all the “nice people” she met. “Teachers were kind, nice, patient and helpful. Students were polite, diligent and creative,” she recalled.
Wang noted many similarities between the way Harker and WFLMS teach science – from the text-based content to the basic lab experiments. However, she added, what set Harker apart were the added research classes, field trips, and opportunities to learn from the experiences of area universities and professors.
“They all provide unlimited opportunities for the students to discover, investigate and research based on books … and also beyond books,” she explained.
Established in 1996, WFLMS is located in the southwest part of the Xuhui District in Shanghai, an area regarded as an important educational location. For many years, Harker has had both a student and teacher exchange program with WFLMS as part of its ongoing effort to build progressive academic and cultural relationships that prepare students to become global citizens.
“I appreciated everything, everyone I met. I hope our sister school program and friendship can last forever!” enthused Wang.
Several upper school students traveled to Switzerland over the summer to meet with their friends from College de Gambach in Fribourg and tour several spots around the country. The students spent the first day getting situated with their host families. The students and their buddies from College de Gambach were very excited to greet one another after a long time apart.
On their first day at College de Gambach, the Harker students attended classes while conversing with the Swiss friends in French and English. “I was amazed how much talking there was,” said upper school math teacher Gabriele Stahl in one of several emails she sent during the trip. “These kids did not need any guidance from the teachers; instead they chatted about different subjects of their own interest.”
Later, they journeyed through Fribourg, climbing up the tower in the city’s cathedral and riding on a funicular, a historic tram that runs on waste water.
Over the next few days, the students spent more time with their buddies and attended classes in a variety of subjects, including math, German and music. “We went to a music class where the teacher showed us different types of Swiss music, from pop to traditional to yodeling,” said Daphne Yang, grade 12. “And then we sang American songs such as ‘I’m Yours’ and ‘Hallelujah’ to end the class.” Their visit to the Cailler chocolate factory was a highlight, as the group sampled many of the factory’s delicious treats and learned about the history and spread of chocolate after its discovery in the New World.
They later made their way to the castle at La Gruyere, where they spent much of the afternoon exploring the centuries-old structure and visiting the surrounding restaurants and shops.
In July, 20 middle school Spanish language students embarked on their biennial immersion trip to Costa Rica, absorbing the country’s rich culture and natural beauty while bolstering their Spanish language skills.
After arriving in the town of Grecia, the students, along with middle school Spanish teachers Julie Pinzas and Susan Moling and upper school Spanish teacher Diana Moss, settled in for the night and prepared for their visit to San Luis the next day. Zip-lining across the San Luis rainforest was an exciting start to the second day, which also saw the students sampling Costa Rican cuisine and learning more about the history and architecture of Grecia.
Day three started with a visit to ACCE language school, where the students were placed in small groups for their Spanish lessons. “As usual, they impressed the director and Costa Rican teachers with their Spanish!” Pinzas said. After their time at ACCE, the students trekked from Grecia up to Volcan Poas, a nearby active volcano.
Another memorable day was spent at La Carpio, a neighborhood made up primarily of Nicaraguan immigrants, where the students helped the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation paint a house. Other students played with the local children. “It was touching to see how naturally our group used their Spanish to communicate with the children and how sad all of them were to say goodbye,” Pinzas said.
On another day, the group visited Manuel Antonio National Park and enjoyed a hike through the rainforest that eventually lead them to a beach, “which looked like it was from a movie set with majestic palm trees surrounding a turquoise bay,” Pinzas reported. The capuchin monkeys playing above were a welcome sight for the students, who also greatly enjoyed a few hours splashing in the water.
The group also spent a day learning some staple Latin dance moves. “Our instructor, Jason, taught us how to do the Bachata, Merengue and some fun ways to turn your partner,” Pinzas wrote. “He was impressed on how enthusiastic our students were and their level of understanding.” The next day, they returned to La Carpio, where one group of students helped set up a pop-up library and another visited a preschool, where they helped the children prepare for entry into Costa Rican schools.
The group also visited the town of Sarchí, known for the Pan-American Highway that connects Central and South America. “Sarchí is also renowned for its colorfully painted oxcart wheels and beautifully hand-carved wood furniture and crafts,” said Pinzas. The students spent the day painting their own wheels, learning the basics under the tutelage of a local artist.
The next day was spent at Centro Educativo Nuevo Milenio, where they engaged in an interactive speaking activity and games with their Costa Rican friends. Later in the day, the students performed at a talent show. “The show was truly amazing!” Pinzas exclaimed. “We were all awed and inspired by many of the performances which included several truly creative modern dances by both individuals and grade-level groups.”
This article originally appeared in the summer 2015 Harker Quarterly.
Ancient and modern China formed an intriguing focus of study for 21 middle school students during their recent visit to the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS), Harker’s sister school in Shanghai.
At the end of March, 16 seventh graders and five eighth graders united for an action-packed week with their WFLMS buddies, who had earlier in the school year spent time at Harker as part of an annual reciprocal student exchange program.
Journeying to China is a much-anticipated adventure and highlight of the middle school experience for many grade 7 and 8 students. While there, the Harker contingent visited numerous landmarks and historic sites.
Originally based around the grade 8 computer science class’ global issues forum, the annual China trip expanded two years ago to incorporate the grade 7 historical component of learning about ancient China.
Keith Hirota, grade 6 ancient civilizations teacher, headed this year’s trip. Carol Green, Harker’s middle and upper school communication studies department chair, who was already in China serving as an exchange teacher at WFLMS, joined the group as a chaperone.
Students engaged in many activities with their group and with their hosts. For details, go to news.harker.org and search on Shanghai.
The students’ time at WFLMS ended with a farewell ceremony and dinner. “The ceremony was bittersweet as we watched several students from both schools give touching speeches and performances,” recalled Hirota, noting that Harker students and their WFLMS buddies had been faithfully corresponding since the fall.
Reflecting on the trip, grade 7 student Jatin Kohli said he really enjoyed the homestay with his buddy and the time they spent walking along the Huangpu River and the Bund, a famous waterfront area. “I wish our buddies could have joined us on our trip north to Beijing. The trip felt too short and I wish I had more time,” he said.
Grade 8 student Julia Amick added, “My favorite part of the homestay was getting to tour around Shanghai with my buddy and her parents and trying new and exotic foods like stinky tofu!”
In May some 29 grade 6 students boarded a Tokyo-bound plane for the much-anticipated annual trip to Japan. There, the students reunited with their buddies from Harker’s sister school, Tamagawa Academy.
“This was one of the biggest groups yet! The trip went really well and all the students had such a wonderful time in their homestays,” recalled Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education.
Joining this year’s trip as a chaperone was Gayle Calkins, the middle school’s assistant to the counseling and global education departments. “After working on sending students and chaperones to Japan over the last nine years, it was great to actually experience the welcoming and friendly students and staff of our sister school Tamagawa! Japan and all its sites, people and experiences will be something I will cherish always,” said Calkins.
The Harker contingent first headed to Tokyo’s oldest temple, the Asakusa Sensoji Temple. Legend has it that two brothers, while out fishing one day, caught a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Although they put the statue back in the water, it continued to return to them, so the temple was built nearby in her honor.
Next up was a scenic drive was to Kamakura, a coastal town an hour south of Tokyo. The group’s first stop was at the Kotokuin (Great Buddha) Temple to see an enormous bronze statue of Buddha. From there, they drove to Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shinto Shrine.
The following day, the group arrived at Tamagawa Academy, where they were greeted by their buddies and host families, who waved signs and cheered while the school band played in the background. “After the students were introduced to their homestay parents and siblings, we were ushered into the auditorium for the morning’s entertainment, an energetic Taiko drum performance by their upper school students. The kids loved this! A group of sixth grade students then sang before our kids performed their speeches in Japanese. They did a great job!” recalled Walrod.
The Harker students accompanied their Tamagawa buddies to a number of classes, including math, Japanese, science and P.E. They also had an opportunity to venture over to the lower school, where they did some activities with the younger students. Later, they met with Yoshiaki Obara, president of Tamagawa, to share their experiences so far during the trip.
A highlight of their time at Tamagawa was visiting the Future Sci Tech Lab. Here the kids learned about Tamagawa’s research into developing horticulture technologies to provide food in outer space without soil or natural lights.
When it was finally time to say goodbye, the Harker group was led out to the bus by the Tamagawa students, teachers and parents. Their farewell was filled with hugs, photos and tears. As they departed, they passed many students lining the sidewalk waving goodbye.
On their last full day in Japan, the group visited Hiroshima. Their first destination was the Peace Memorial Park, where they visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, which marks the spot where the first atomic bomb landed in Japan. The ruins at the site (also known as “ground zero”) are dedicated to those who died at the site.
Continuing through the park, the group stopped briefly at the Flame of Peace, which has burned continuously since 1964. “This flame continues to burn as a symbol of the Japanese anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame until all nuclear weapons are gone from this earth,” said Walrod.
“The students took time to read personal stories of survivors and take some photos. We then walked along the river to the Children’s Peace Monument built to commemorate all the children who had died. We stood in a circle and talked about peace and what we personally could do to make the world a better place,” remembered Walrod.
They also had the opportunity to hear from the daughter of a woman who had survived the bombing. She talked to the students about the lead up to the fateful day and then shared her mother’s story. This marked the first time Harker students had an opportunity to listen to such a personal story in Hiroshima.
The group then headed off to the scenic Arashiyama monkey park, a popular tourist spot located just outside of Kyoto. At the top of the mountain, the students fed Japanese snow monkeys by going onto a special cage and giving them chestnuts through wired windows. Shortly after, everyone headed back to the airport for the long flight home, which gave them plenty of time to reflect and reminisce on all they had seen and done in Japan.
Ancient and modern China formed an intriguing focus of study for 21 middle school students during their recent visit to the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS), Harker’s sister school in Shanghai.
At the end of March, 16 seventh graders and five eighth graders united for an action-packed week with their WFLMS buddies, who had earlier in the school year spent time at Harker as part of an annual reciprocal student exchange program.
Journeying to China is a much-anticipated adventure and highlight of the middle school experience for many grade 7 and 8 students. While there, the Harker contingent visited numerous landmarks and historic sites.
Originally based around the grade 8 computer science class’ global issues forum, the annual China trip expanded two years ago to incorporate the grade 7 historical component of learning about ancient China.
Keith Hirota, grade 6 ancient civilizations teacher, headed this year’s trip. Carol Green, Harker’s middle and upper school communication studies department chair, who was already in China serving as an exchange teacher at WFLMS, joined the group as a chaperone.
After a smooth flight, the students were warmly welcomed at Pudong International Airport by their pals from WFLMS, Hirota recalled. From there, they hopped on a WFLMS bus for the short drive into the city to meet their host families.
The next morning, when the group arrived on the school’s campus, a large electronic sign read, “We warmly welcome the teachers and students from The Harker School.”
“The students were greeted by WFLMS computer teacher Jack Sheng (who speaks fluent English with an Aussie accent), who sent them around campus on a fun orientation/scavenger hunt,” shared Hirota.
After that, the Harker students participated in a dance class, followed by a class on the history, culture and food of China. The students also attended a class on Chinese geography that highlighted the Shanghai area. At the conclusion of the lesson, they headed to the auditorium, where they shared information about their American culture with the WFLMS student body.
“They each did a great job talking about Harker clubs, after-school activities, spirit events and houses, speech and debate, special classes and electives, middle school sports, lunch and snacks, American holidays, famous American points of interest, video gaming and social media,” Hirota observed.
The Harker students then hopped on a bus and headed for Zhujiajiao. The word Zhujiajiao means “Zhu Family Settlement.” It is one of six ancient water villages on the outskirts of Shanghai. With a population of 60,000, it features 36 stone bridges and thousands of ancient buildings along the riverbanks. After a boat ride through the canal, the students were given time to explore and bargain hunt throughout the hundreds of food and novelty shops in the area.
“We had a 12-course family style lunch with a scenic view overlooking the canal and shops. After lunch, students were given more time to explore and shop. We drove back to Shanghai and had an early dinner at Da Niang Dumplings. Before heading off to ‘Era’ (the Shanghai Circus), the students had some time to buy desert and snacks at a few local shops. After a brief drive through the city, we arrived at the circus venue and our students were met by their WFLMS buddies. The circus was simply amazing and the highlight of the day!” reported Hirota.
The students’ subsequent time at WFLMS included learning a form of ancient Kung Fu called Wushu and how to play Chinese instruments called the erhu and pipa. They also had fun making Chinese opera masks to take home.
Another highlight for the Harker students was taking a rickshaw tour of Beijing, which included a moving visit to Tiananmen Square, site of the 1989 protests and ensuing military action. From there the group headed to the Forbidden City, where they were guided through several of its 980 palatial buildings. Then came a memorable visit to the Great Wall of China. After taking a ski lift to the top of the mountain, the group entered the wall. Students took many photos of the renowned structure and enjoyed a toboggan ride back down the mountain.
The students’ time at WFLMS ended with a farewell ceremony and dinner. “The ceremony was bittersweet as we watched several students from both schools give touching speeches and performances,” recalled Hirota, noting that Harker students and their WFLMS buddies had been faithfully corresponding since the fall.
Reflecting on the trip, grade 7 student Jatin Kohli said he really enjoyed the homestay with his buddy and the time they spent walking along the Huangpu River and the Bund, a famous waterfront area. “I wish our buddies could have joined us on our trip north to Beijing. The trip felt too short and I wish I had more time,” he said.
Grade 8 student Julia Amick added, “My favorite part of the homestay was getting to tour around Shanghai with my buddy and her parents and trying new and exotic foods like stinky tofu!”
Making traditional dumplings in the home of her host teacher was just one of many special activities that have marked Harker debate instructor Carol Green’s experience in China, where she is currently serving as an exchange teacher with the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS).
Green, Harker’s middle and upper school communication studies department chair, departed for China on March 17 and will return to San Jose on April 6. In addition to serving as a visiting teacher, she is chaperoning Harker’s middle school students, now on their annual trip to WFLMS, Harker’s sister school in China.
Reached for comment via email, Green reported that she is “very excited to be the exchange teacher for Harker to the WFLMS.” During her time abroad, Green has been observing the Chinese school’s humanities classes and guest teaching.
“I am teaching lessons on public speaking as well as debate. Debate as an academic activity is growing in popularity in China and I have enjoyed meeting with the debate club at WFLMS,” she said, adding that she had the opportunity to teach a lesson about argument mapping.
“I have also enjoyed meeting local and international teachers and learning about the life of a teacher here in Shanghai. The school has a wonderful peer-observation program that allows teachers to connect and share feedback and lessons with each other… every teacher is encouraged to watch their peers and to welcome their peers into their classrooms,” Green elaborated.
“The students are also very lovely. Many of the older students have told me about their exchanges with Harker and have asked me to pass along warm wishes to their peers back in San Jose!” she added.
Established in 1996, WFLMS is located in the southwest part of the Xuhui District in Shanghai, an area regarded as an important educational location. For many years, Harker has had both a student and teacher exchange program with WFLMS as part of its ongoing effort to build progressive academic and cultural relationships that prepare students to become global citizens.
Shortly after their arrival at the San Francisco International Airport, 23 students from the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS) in Shanghai, China, were welcomed by their Harker middle school buddies.
This year, Harker students enthusiastically greeted their WFLMS buddies at the airport, adding to the excitement of their Jan. 26 arrival. They then spent the day together at the California Academy of Sciences before returning to Harker. After the school day ended, the Harker students took their pals to their respective homestays to live with their families until their departure on Feb. 2.
“The kids had a fantastic time! As we gathered to say our goodbyes, several families told me that they were really going to miss their guests. Our students asked me several times how soon we will be leaving for our visit to China,” recalled Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education.
Harker student Jai Bahri, grade 7, said that having his buddy stay with him was a wonderful experience. “I learned a lot about my buddy and in such a short amount of time, we got to know each other extraordinarily well.”
Arjun Kilaru, grade 8, said, “The best memory [was] when I took him to a burger joint. He had a half-pound burger with a lot on it and he ate it all for his first time!”
Harker’s relationship with the school in the People’s Republic of China began in 2003 and is the first of its kind. The visiting students were accompanied by several chaperones (all teachers at WFLMS). They were welcomed to Harker and officially introduced during a meeting at the middle school.
Harker students and their WFLMS buddies had been corresponding since the fall. On March 25, a contingent of Harker students headed to China as part of the annual reciprocal exchange program, which is a highlight of the middle school experience for many grade 7 and 8 students.
While here, the exchange students enjoyed going on a number of field trips, including touring the campus at Stanford University and visiting the Tech Museum in San Jose. They also observed and attended several middle school classes, including history, art, drama and dance.
Other fun activities included a scavenger hunt on the middle school campus, making Native American dream catchers and doing a Chinese paper cutting activity with students at the lower school. The WFLMS students’ visit ended with a viewing of the upper school dance show followed by a fun farewell party.
Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education, can hardly believe a decade has gone by since the upper school launched its exchange program with students from the Collège de Gambach in Fribourg, Switzerland.
“The first one occurred in the school year 2004-05!” enthused Walrod.
Mid-February heralded the beginning of this year’s program, with the arrival of 11 Swiss exchange students and their two chaperones.
“New friendships formed quickly between the grades 10 and 11 Harker students and the Swiss buddies they hosted,” recalled Walrod.
The Collège de Gambach is a secondary school under the authority of Switzerland’s department of public education and cultural affairs. The school is located near an important economic and cultural border between German and French Switzerland.
While visiting, the Swiss students lived with their Harker hosts and their families, allowing them to become fully immersed in American life. They enjoyed observing various classes, as well as sightseeing in the Bay Area and beyond.
After going on a tour of the upper school with their Harker pals, the exchange students observed and participated in classes such as dance, debate, art, chemistry, drama, poetry and American history. They also made Native American dream catchers with Keith Hirota, middle school social studies teacher and K-8 department chair. Another highlight for the Swiss students was taking an American cuisine cooking class at Cucina Bambini, a local hands-on cooking school.
Grade 11 Harker student and program participant Daphne Yang said it was the little things – like hanging out at the mall and talking over coffee at Starbucks – that she remembers most fondly about time spent with her Swiss buddy.
“The Swiss visit was really a learning experience,” Yang said. “I got to interact with people from a different background and culture than I am used to, and I had fun picking up bits and pieces of their lifestyles as they were immersed in mine. It made me realize how much I enjoy learning not only other languages, but also the culture that comes with it. … With all the fun we’ve had, I can’t wait to visit Switzerland in the summer to learn more!”
One thing that really interested Yang was that the Swiss buddies had never seen a school bus before. She found it “very cute” that they were awed by the yellowness of the vehicle and took pictures and selfies in front of it.
At the end of their special time together, Harker students and their new Swiss buddies said their goodbyes over a farewell party in the campus bistro. Come June, they will be reunited, this time in Switzerland. The upcoming adventure will afford the Harker contingent the opportunity to immerse themselves in Swiss culture, brush up on their language skills and explore the country’s vast natural beauty.
Ken Barber, an upper school substitute teacher who assisted Walrod during the Swiss visit, said the best thing about watching the interactions between the Harker and Swiss students was the development of close relationships. “Their interactions seemed to be warm and genuine,” he recalled.
Diana Moss, upper school Spanish teacher and Class of 2015 dean, “loved hosting the Swiss chaperones, Cyril and Ole. They were enthusiastic about experiencing every aspect of American culture, including vinyl records, old cars, motorcycles and country music. They were particularly excited to see my husband’s ‘man space’ garage packed full of tools and choice gadgets, saying it was exactly the image they had of a typical American home. We engaged in long and lively discussions about culture, language and schools, and our home felt very quiet after they’d left. I know we’ve established a friendship that will endure – exactly the goal of a cultural exchange!” said Moss.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2014 Harker Quarterly.
This year Harker was thrilled to welcome one of the largest-ever contingents of students from its sister school, the Tamagawa K-12 School & University in Tokyo. On Oct. 14, the 28 exchange students, along with their three chaperones, arrived at the middle school for their first in-person meeting with their grade 6 Harker buddies.
Each fall, as part of a long-running program, the Tamagawa students come to Harker for a much-anticipated weeklong visit. Prior to that, Harker and Tamagawa peers stay in touch through video conferences and email exchanges.
While here, the Japanese students stayed with their Harker buddies and their families. They went sightseeing around the Bay Area, and visited and observed classes at the Blackford campus.
Among their many activities, the students made tie-dyed T-shirts with both the Harker eagle and Tamagawa eagle on them (the schools coincidentally share the same mascot), made slushies, went on a scavenger hunt and enjoyed a bittersweet ice cream farewell party. The Japanese students also joined in on classes such as dance, drama, art and P.E.
The Tamagawa students also spent time at the lower school, where they worked with the kindergartners on an origami activity. Previously, the kindergarten students had received an album depicting life at Tamagawa’s kindergarten.
Kishan Sood, a grade 6 Harker student, said that he and his buddy, Satoya, had a lot of fun together. “We went to San Francisco and saw a lot of amazing things there.”
After his buddy returned to Japan, Sood received a thank you email from Satoya. “That really made me feel that he had a great time in America and he appreciated everything that we did for him. That made me feel special,” said Sood.
Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education, reported that all the students had an amazing time. “When the Tamagawa buddies first arrived, everyone was so quiet and shy. But by the farewell party, the kids were all running around, laughing, taking photos and behaving like the best of friends that they have become,” she said.