Hi Folks,
Please take a moment to introduce yourself to your fellow seminar participants.
I'm Clay Dube, director of the USC U.S.-China Institute. It's my privilege to work with Catherine and to teach in the seminar. I'm a China historian by training and previously taught at both the secondary and college levels here in the US (my secondary school experience was a long time ago in San Diego, I've taught college students in China, Los Angeles, and Kentucky). I use "by training" in my self-description because, since coming to the US-China Institute, my focus has been on what's happening in China today and on US-China relations. This is my 14th year at USC, after 9 years at UCLA. I enjoy travel and reading and am looking forward to getting to know you over the next couple of months.
[email protected]

Hello everyone,

My name is Lizette Bernal. I'm new to this seminar experience and it's also my first year teaching (ever)! With that being said, I have very little experience in this field but I'm excited to learn as I go. I've student taught at both middle and high schools levels in the Valley. I'm currently teaching 10th grade English and multi-grade ELD courses. I'm looking forward to working with you all over th course of this program.

Hello everyone. Looking forward to this seminar, learning more about East Asia, and meeting all of you. I'm in my 12th year of teaching, with the first 3 at a Charter School, and the previous 8 at Montebello Unified School District. Over the past 8 years I've taught, Choir, Health, Freshman Studies, Ethnic Studies, World History, US History, and Music Appreciation. I have several credentials and I've used them all at one point or another. Currently I'm teaching Health and Ethnic Studies to 9th graders at Schurr High School. Hoping I'll be teaching these for a while after making changes the past couple of years. Hoping to use what we learn in Ethnic Studies. 

Hello new Saturday/Monday Night Friends!

I'm Cynthia Stults and I currently teach 4th grade at Warner Avenue Elementary, just east of UCLA (lots of Bruin fans out there). Before teaching I worked in the performing arts, so I'm always looking for opportunities to integrate arts into the curriculum. Social studies and cultural learning are great opportunities for arts integration. In the last 3 years, all of my English Learners have been from China and Korea, as their parents come as visiting professors at UCLA or USC or come for advanced training from either school. I adore these kiddos, but I don't know a lot about their culture, and cultural norms, so I'm hoping that learning about their culture and heritage will help me find better ways to connect with them, and also bring some history and culture from their homelands into my classroom, so their classmates can get to know them better too.

Hello participants, 

After participating in the week long Korean Seminar this past summer I became very interested in learning more about Asian history. I teach Kindergarten in a two way Spanish immersion school in Gardena (135th Street Elem). I am excited to learn more on cultures other than my own and how the Asian thumbprint is integrated in our daily lives.

Hello Everyone, 

I'm a fifth year Special Education teacher teaching the K-2nd grade Autism Core Class at Brockton Elementary in the Westside. As a Korean American, I'm excited to learn more about the history of my own family background as well as the intersection between China and Japan as well as neighboring countries in Asia. I'm excited to learn how to expose my students to the information and content that I will learn in the next few months.

Hello fellow educators, 

I am an Adapted Physical Education teacher with experience in working at the charter, non-public school, and public school setting with students with and without disabilities ranging form 3-22 years old. Physical Education and Adapted Physical Education is my expertise. Worked half a year as a behavior therapist and tutor. I'm currently in my 2nd year working full time for LAUSD as an Adapted Physical Education teacher. I enjoyed the Spring 2019 East Asia: Origins to 1800 class and I'm ready to keep on learning more about the asian culture and history.