Final Essay

[cgao]

Please post your reflective essay here.

 

 

[Billie Johnson]

East Asia Origins - 1800 has really helped my teaching practice and improved my thinking process on how I want to integrate outside sources to enhance student learning. I continue to learn how to present information to students by studying the exemplary examples of the instructors and guest lecturers. Once I have the ability to resume teaching in the classroom I have a process I will follow very similar to how the information was presented in our classes. Holding students accountable for their learning by pausing and posing questions for them to answer will promote critical thinking, but again will hold them accountable for their learning and focusing during the learning process. Much of what we covered in class has been helpful especially with learning about and teaching ancient civilizations. Although the year is nearly over, I do hope that I will have the opportunity to teach this subject again so I can incorporate some of the stories about the Buddha and looking at history from multiple perspectives, architecture and the purposes of design, and one that I am really excited to explore and discuss with students is learning about women in history; perhaps a comparison of women in ancient history between geographic regions. Something that appears basic such as the importance of water and how it drove trade and agriculture is worth discussing and incorporating as well. I think more than anything this course has made me realize how much is left out because of time constraints, but we can always add this additional information in as mini-lessons, extension activities, or just carve out time because it is important. Collaborating with peers and listening/reading through their thinking process was helpful as well.  That is another major reason why I enjoy these professional development opportunities because we are in a space with like-minded individuals who share in our quest for becoming more informed educators for our students. One of my highlights is visiting the East Asia museum exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art when I thought I was going to miss a session. Of course this was everything changed with the virus.  However, I found that it is important to incorporate travel and experiencing as much as to bring in genuine experiences to share with students. I am bummed that we were not able to meet in person, but am so grateful to have had this opportunity.  Looking forward to the next one.

[Meghann Seril]

 I really enjoyed this course on the history of East Asia. One of the teaching points that stood out to me was our reflection on larger themes such as the consequences of being open or closed, the benefit and cost of development, and how and by whom history is told. I think these ideas can be discussed with students at different age groups. For my third graders, looking at the pros and cons of development always generates interesting discussion. Something new I want to facilitate for them is the consideration of the authors of the history we consume. Even in third grade I think I can start to build critical thinking skills that will help students consider the motives of the authors and how it may influence our own understandings of historical figures and context. A text like The Good, the Bad, the Ugly by Hurst could be adapted to aid in that discussion.

Teaching in a Mandarin dual language program, I want to be able to include opportunities for students to see examples from East Asia that would integrate with the grade level content. When we learn about traits and heredity in our science unit on animals and plants, I could pair it with a text about Fu Xi, who invented the domestication of animals. A different point of comparison is the development of the city along the Los Angeles River and comparing that with the growth along the Yellow River. In addition, we can analyze the housing styles and materials. We can also compare different kinds of pottery and artwork from China and the Tongva tribe of Los Angeles. This aligns with the standards of identifying and describing artworks from different parts of the world. I found a lot of math connections with many of photographs shared in our discussion of architecture and city planning. As area and perimeter are a new concept in third grade, I would like to bring in real world examples of different layouts for students to consider. We can make connections to geometry when looking at Hakka dwellings.

Today’s symposium on the Uyghurs in Xinjiang really amplified the importance of using our platform as teachers to share different stories and perspectives with our students. We can’t know if we are never exposed, and the dangers and cost of not knowing and not understanding are too high. Many of my students have a Chinese background and I hope to use the information I’ve learned to help them see  themselves reflected in our social studies discussions.

[Sandra Flores]

My Reflection 

I really enjoyed this class.  I heard about this program through a colleague last semester.  She said that she really enjoyed it and that I should take it.  At the beginning I was hesitant to take the class because I didn’t believe that it related to my subject matter.  I decided to give it a chance this semester and I fell in love with the class since Day 1.  

 

The main reason that I enjoyed the class the first day is because we were in a classroom and had more interaction than any other day.  I am not the best student online, that is one of the reasons I enrolled in the course.  I was told that it was going to be in person and I enjoy going to school.  Professor Dube, is one of the best professors I have ever met.  He makes the class interesting and knows how to capture the audience’s attention.  After my first day, I got home and told my roommate, “I actually enjoyed that class and learned something new”.  I was disappointed when I learned that the classes would be a combination of asynchronous and synchronous.  I know my learning skills and was aware of the challenging this was going to be, but I didn’t leave the class because I enjoyed it the first day.

 

Through this class I learned so much about Eastern Asian that I didn’t know.  One of my favorite classes was the last day.  The testimony given by Nurnisa Kurban was so touching that I decided to research the topic myself.  I also enjoyed the learning about Japan’s agriculture and the importance of wood in their society.  From China I enjoyed reading “The Song of Everlasting Sorrow” and learning about the empress.  I am currently watching the series “Empress of China” on YouTube.  

 

I believe that I can use everything I listed in my class.  Although I teach Spanish, one of the standards for World Language class is to compare and contrast two different cultures.  The standards do not specify the two cultures.  I can have my students compare traditional Japanese homes with homes in a Spanish speaking country.  Students can also discuss and compare the Uyghur’s concentration camps with the genocide of the Mayan community in Guatemala.  Lastly, students can analyze the poem of “The Song of Everlasting Sorrow” and compare it to “The Legend of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihatl”.  Both, include topics such as love, sacrifice, death and sorrow.  

 

Thank you for offering this class and the opportunity to modify my curriculum. 

 

[Esther Dupree]

I chose to take this class because I have a BA in History and Asia is a huge gap in my education.  I studied colonial history and minority studies in Africa, and North and South America.  Asia is a vital part of the historical development of the world as well as an integral part of our society and economy today.  Knowing how Asia has developed and learning about core values and political trends will help me better understand how our students need to be educated about the history and current developments in Asia.  We have a huge gap in understanding because textbook writers leave them out so much.

I am so glad I was given the opportunity to participate in this course.  The speakers and professors have so much knowledge and passion for sharing what they have spent so much of their lives learning with us so that we can take it back to their classrooms.  I also love that I am taking this course with other teachers who can relate to how this course impacts my career.  Teachers know that I have to translate all this very dense information into something digestible for my student population, which varies widely among all of us in this course. 

I also am so grateful for all the resources offered by the professors and other teachers.  I am learning so much about how to find and utilize resources to explore Asia as an educator in a more meaningful way.  Also, personally, I love the film recommendations.  It’s a world I really haven’t spent any time exploring.  I hope to take the next session and continue to expand my learning about Asia.  Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity.

 

[Hilda Dixon]

Our USC China forum started with the plan of having face-to-face learning interactions. One of the things that stuck for me is that in our first day, we learned about how a pernicious contagious bug was impacting China’s economy and social life. At that time, “the bug” seems foreign and far away. This bug seemed remote for me. I remembered that professor, Clay Dube commented on the fact that we are nowadays more interconnected than ever. Part of our current connectedness is that we now get to share the same bug. We changed profusely. I mentioned this contingency because this incident is perhaps a good example to show connectedness among countries from different continents. Our instructional exchanges now are literally through video conferences.  However, we continued with the same enthusiasm. In part because all the professors seem to have a genuine devotion to share what they know. For the most part, when I listened to their lectures, I wanted to capture every word that was spoken. Religion, architecture, culture, and history were delicately intertwined to describe holistically each of these three countries through our lectures. In my own simplistic way and within a humble perspective, I enjoy sharing the little that I know with my students with disabilities, too. For me sharing what one is and what one knows are some of the most important aspects of what it means to be human. Through sharing experiences, visions, knowledge especially history we keep events, historical episodes alive. When we learned about other’s cultures, we respectfully acknowledge them and understand them better.

I think what I gained from this forum is that I can now search for bits of history such as tales like Peach Blossom Spring , descriptions of how the two Song capitals, Kaifeng and Hangzhou  looked like in 1235 c.e., so my students and I can recreate the ancient Chinese markets.  We can engage in instructional virtual tours and travel to Japan to see all the different castles and temples. My students and I can also recreate some of the famous Chinese, Korean or Japanese paintings too. My classroom can see how people over the years have built different dwellings such as the Yaodong sunken caves, Fujian Tulou circular homes, and the houses around Suzhou Grand Canal. These topics can definitely be part of my alternate curriculum. Through this forum I now see possibilities in how I can bring China, Korean and Japan cultures into my classroom.

All in all, what resonates with me is that through reading, listening, and having conversational discussions, I know I have more appreciation for these three cultures. When I watched the Korean movie, I was able to understand the symbolism behind the plot. As a result, I now believe that ancient China is to East Asia what ancient Rome is to Europe. Finally, I am especially thankful with Professor Clay Dube because he was patient enough to listen to my numerous comments. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to participate.

 

[Cynthia Stults]

Taking the East Asia Since 1800 seminar first gave me an interesting perspective on this seminar. It was interesting to see how events, governments, and traditions that were established hundreds, even thousands of years ago shaped their modern cultures. What was even more interesting is how much intersection and movement there was among China, Japan, and Korea.  It was interesting how some of the social structures have held over and possibly influenced current issues. For example, in Korea, many people who were born in Korea, but are the children of immigrants have not been allowed to vote. When reading about some of the young Korean men who realized they would not be able to improve their social status/quality of life due to one their parent’s social status and left to go take the civil service exam in China, It seemed that tradition was almost continuing, however, within just the last year or so, Korea has made steps towards being more accepting of its immigrants and multicultural families. This is a prime example of understanding the past to avoid repeating its mistakes. 

 

Much like how Buddhism was adapted to fit into China, Korea, and Japan, I can adapt much of what I have learned in this seminar into my teaching. I plan to adapt our Chinese philosophy debate into one based on the mission system. I also want to try and utilize Professor Yamashita’s use of artifacts as an agent of instruction when teaching social studies. This can help students with observational skills and then guiding them to make connections and create better engagement than if I just tell them everything they need to know. I also see myself utilizing a lot of compare and contrast activities of European cultures my students tend to be more familiar with East Asian cultures, that are the home cultures of several of my students, but aren’t normally addressed in our curriculum. I think my students will be surprised how much all civilizations have in common despite how different they may seem. It is my hope that understanding of our commonalities will help our students become more open and accepting of all peoples, races, genders, and cultures. 

[Chad Espinoza]

The East Asia: Origins to 1800 Seminar has been incredible. I have learned much about Asia. But the knowledge I have gained is not just a bank of facts. No. It is a new programming of how to see the world. Many of my ideas of Asia have been challenged and I now realize that this is a very strong way of teaching. Challenging preconceptions is essential to creating cognitive dissonance in students, which studies show is a phenomenon that paves the way for substantial learning. The lectures and ideas that challenged me the most (the ones I will be using in my curriculum next school year) are the CCP’s treatment of the Uyghr people, the complex epic titled The Song of Eternal Sorrow, and debates over salt and iron during the Han dynasty. 

 

The treatment of Uyghur people is a prime example of the worst humanity has to offer. I think my students will find the treatment of Uyghur people barbaric, but I want to direct their focus to how such terrible things can be hidden by suppression of information. I am not sure what the future of America will be like, but it is clear that the government has an interest in keeping certain information away from its citizens. Guiding my students to be aware of how governments can suppress information will help them to recognize any malnevolent trends in our government. 

 

 

The Song of Everlasting Sorrow is a great example of the complexity in Chinese poetry during the Tang dynasty. The poem seems modern in the sense that it puts people in very dramatic situations that require dramatic actions, and the resolution of the poem does not have the satisfying heroic ending. Instead, it has an unexpected ending. The drama in this poem asks students to consider some significant moral dilemmas. 

 

 

The final one is the one I find the most interesting. The debates over the trade of iron and salt will teach my students much about the relationship between the government and the private sector when it comes to economics. I think using these debates to encourage my students to think about economic policies will help them to learn much about the Han dynasty and the universality of these economic questions.

 

 

Again, thank you for this opportunity. This seminar has shaped me as an educator. 

 

 

[Mario Ruiz]

I’ll be honest, prior to taking this seminar, I saw it as an easy way to earn some continuing education credits to help me advance through the steps of my school district’s salary schedule. It was free and it was easily accessible to me. It was a no-brainer, but it definitely ended up being a lot more than what I was expecting. 

First and foremost, the content in the seminar and our lectures was intriguing. Clay did an absolutely wonderful job in presenting the material and it didn’t take long to realize that this man has a deep-rooted passion for the subject matter presented to us. We all know that as educators, if you don’t have the passion for what you’re doing, it shows. It shows in both your delivery and in your students’ engagement. Thank you, Clay. 

When I stop and think about the class meetings and the content presented, I immediately gravitate to one specific topic: the four Chinese philosophies. This unit was incredibly captivating to me because it seemed like something with which everyone was able to make a connection. Prior to having our discussion/debate about the four philosophies, we were able to choose which philosophy we’d like to defend. I gravitated towards one philosophy because it resonated a lot with my actual beliefs and how I try to live my everyday life. So it seemed easy for me to defend it during the discussion. 

I’m Mexican and was raised practicing the Catholic religion. Unfortunately, I am not a practicing Catholic because there are many aspects of the Catholic religion with which I don’t agree. So it amazed me to see that there are different cultural philosophies and ways of living that resonate so closely to what I believe in. Although I don’t go to church on Sundays or believe in all of the Catholic principles and teachings, I still try to live my life with some kind of faith and spirituality. Prior to this seminar, I never thought that I would resonate with the philosophy of another culture from the other side of the world. It’s inspiring and makes me wonder what else is out there to which I could connect. 

[Brigid Schmidt]

Back in January I signed up for this class as an opportunity to take a class with a friend, earn salary credits, and maybe learn a little about Ancient Asia to understand my 6th graders history class a little more. What I didn't expect was how much I would enjoy it. Unfortunately my friend was unable to take the class, so I was on my own. Going to our first class I was reminded of college classes and being on campus. I had a wonderful feeling of nostalgia. In class we discussed the Corona Virus, which at the time still seemed far away. The class lecture and discussion made me realize, I have so much more in common with the subject matter and so much more to learn. While I am sad that we were only able to have one in-class lecture, I was happy to see that Professor Dube was still leading our Zoom lectures. His knowledge on China, Korea, and Japan was impressive as were his personal stories from visiting Asia. One day I would love to go to China to see some of places he showed us in the pictures and talked about. 

As I have said before, I am in my first year of teaching middle school and I teach English. I did not know much about the 6th grade history curriculum until my partner teacher asked me to do a joint assignment: The Silk Road. I knew nothing about it. This class has opened my eyes so much. Not only did I learn about the Silk Road, I learned about the people who traveled the Silk Road, that ideas and religions were shared and traded as well. My 6th graders perform a play called Buddha Walks. I have learned so much about the origins of Buddhism and Lori Meeks did a wonderful job explaining the different sects of Buddhism as well as the differences between what we in the West perceive Buddhism to be versus what it actually is. I plan to use both the information (readings) about Buddhism and the Silk Road with my students. If they are learning how to research and reading documents from the Silk Road, it could help them in their history class and with primary sources and citing information. 

A part of the class that I did not expect was how much art and poetry influences there were in Ancient Asia and Pre-modern Asia. I have a love of the arts, so this was a pleasant surprise for me. I enjoyed read the poetry from the Tang Dynasty, most notably, the Song of Everlasting Sorrow. We also learned about Sijo poetry and the symbolism it displays. I teach poetry and symbolism, so I will be sure to choose some of the poetry we read for my classes next year. Additionally, Dr. Anderson shared some great examples of music and art. I will use art and poetry as part of my lesson as well. I hope that schools will reopen in person so I am able to carry it out with my students next year. 

While I enjoyed all the different guest speakers we had, I was truly affected by Dr. Kurban and her personal accounts about the Uyghur people living in China. Because I was not familiar with this, I did not expect her stories. She was very raw and vulnerable and it was heartbreaking. It is a situation I cannot fathom. Now, with our current situations in our own country, I really want to be able to teach my students about equality and human rights. It seems as there is a lot of hate right now and I aim to encourage a positive and respectful environment. 

I am sad that this course is ending because I gained so much from it. I know I am a better teacher for having been in this class and I look forward to keep learning more and sharing with my students. (I have also been sharing with my family and friends!) Thank you, Professor Dube for making my Saturday mornings inspiring and engaging. I hope there are more classes like this in the future. 

[Samantha Auerbach]

I have to be honest, when I signed up for this course it was 75%  for the salary points and 25% because I really lack a strong foundational background in East Asian history. History has always been difficult for me, especially when it is so dense and dates back so far! I cannot say enough good things about this course and how well executed it was. Although we weren’t able to learn the way we wanted to, I’m so impressed with everyone’s ability to quickly transition to online learning. On that first day on USC’s campus, I was so excited. Partly, to be back on my alma mater’s campus, but also to be learning again. Clay speaks so well and is so knowledgeable about the topic that it captivated me. 

I also have to admit that I was skeptical the content would relate and translate well to my 4th graders. However, every reflection forced me to see how I could teach these concepts to my students. To begin, my students could compare the architecture of each country to the architecture they see in their community. We could talk about building materials, especially the Japanese Culture of Wood and relate it to our environmental studies theme. Additionally, I could see my students learning about the origin stories of all of the countries we talked about and comparing them to the origin stories of California. In 4th grade, we learn about how California was transformed into the economy and state it is today. My students could compare and contrast the early dwellings in Korea and China to the early dwellings of the California Indians. Furthermore, a 4th grade reading standard is about mythology and folk tales which related to many of the topics we discussed, mostly in Professor Yamashita lectures. I would love to locate a Japanese myth and assign it to my students. We could compare and contrast the different mythological texts we read about to the East Asian countries we’ve discussed. My students really love cosmology and would enjoy learning about vertical or horizontal cosmology while we discuss these origin and mythical stories. 

However, my biggest takeaway from this seminar would have to be our final discussion regarding the current situation in Xinjiang. Before this seminar, I was completely unaware about the horrific “education” camps occurring in Xinjiang. I’m honored to be given the chance to hear  Dr. Kurban’s testimony and become more educated about the matter. Now that I’m aware, it is my responsibility to educate others.

Thank you for teaching me something new, for enlightening me, and for making me a more reflective educator. I look forward to more seminars like this!

[Betsy Ures]

Upon starting this course, I wanted to develop a foundational understanding of East Asian history. The timing of this class was incredibly significant. We started class in person and I learned an immense amount about COVID-19 and China's response to it on that first day. Who knew I would need that information and background understanding in the coming days, weeks, and months? Studying the history of China helped me identify  and understand some of the biases that are being presented in the current American news media. It has given me an understanding that Americans have a long history of mistreatment and negative bias toward China and its people. Thank you for teaching beyond the curriculum and adapting to the times.

I’ve taught 6th and 7th grade history in the past and I always depended on the textbook curriculum. Now, I am an out of classroom teacher and I feel much more equipped to support teachers in using other resources to supplement the curriculum. I feel much more open to continue to take more of these classes and continue learning about East Asian history. It has always been a blindspot. 

As for the major takeaways from the seminar, I am walking away with ways to use different sources to supplement the extremely limited textbook. Using the approach of analyzing artifacts to elicit observations and inferences is engaging and cognitively rigorous. Increasing the engagement within the subject of social studies will ensure learning is solidified.

 

[Jessica Ng]

During our between-session break on the very first day of this seminar, I texted my husband telling him how engaging Professor Dube’s presentation was, and how it seemed I was in for a uniquely interesting seminar. Addressing COVID-19 was a prime example of learner engagement; it activated background knowledge and acknowledged something that was on a lot of our minds while thoughtfully leading to the “meat” of the seminar. I felt almost guilty that this was going to give me professional development credit!

 

While the amount of information covered was formidable, the only challenge that kept returning was the question of how to apply what I learned to my ETK classroom. I realized that I would have to teach some of the concepts in a much broader sense. Our discussions about open and closed borders and human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region will inform how I approach teaching tolerance and giving my students meaningful anti-racist experiences. Even our threads on the four Chinese schools of thought and the proclamations of the Hongwu Emperor influenced the way I think about class rules and routines. Some content was easier to apply as-is, like using examples of the different cultures’ artifacts to teach lessons on pottery and art to help my students hone their fine motor skills.

 

Each session gave me something new to think about, whether it came from the presenters or from our discussion threads. I really appreciated the enthusiasm of the group, as well as everyone’s generosity with their knowledge and resources (and film recommendations!)I am grateful to have had this opportunity, and look forward to another one!

 

[Jessica Ng]

Hi Mario. Thank you for your honesty! I was very much in the same thought process regarding the seeming ease and material benefits of taking this seminar. In addition, I live very close to our meeting location so it was a no-brainer. You also expressed beautifully what it was about Professor Dube that made the course worth giving up so many Saturday mornings. I have met teachers who, for one reason or another, didn't have that passion for teaching and it was evident that their students were negatively affected.

[Alma Ochoa]

Taking this class has really taken me out of my comfort zone.  History has never been something I have enjoyed learning.  I was that kid in high school that did not see its value.  As an adult now I wish I knew more not only about US history but my own Mexican history as well as that of other countries and cultures.  I signed up for this class thinking with the hopes of learning about Asia and be able to somehow use that knowledge and tie it into my math lessons.  Being able to tie real life situations into math content I think makes math little easier to understand especially when it comes to Algebra which can be very abstract when it comes to variables for students.        

I must admit as a math person and not having taken a history course in almost 30 years, I often felt overwhelmed and very insecure about giving my thoughts, opinions and in asking questions.  Professor Dube was awesome and seem very patient and encouraging.  I really enjoyed taking this class.  Relearning about the different philosophies, religions of Asian was a nice refresher and I found it really fascinating to learn that the fasting emaciated Buddha.  I had never hear or seen a picture of one.  I was also surprised to learn that Catholicism had spread the area so long ago.  As a very you kid I thought Catholicism was the religion that only Mexican’s practice you can imagen my surprise when I started meeting people of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds who were also Catholic.  Thinking back to that day I still feel embarrassed to have been so naïve when it came to certain topics.  The topics I really enjoyed learning most about was the meditation gardens and the architecture of Japan and the strategic layout of their cities.    

The testimony given by Nurnisa Kurban was also very touching and overwhelming.  As mentioned in one of my post many times we do not know and learn about things that do not directly affect us.  Her story is something that I’m sure is others’ story as well and something that happening in other parts of the world.  As an educator I feel a responsibilities to bring awareness to injustices such as this and I feel fortunate to be able to share this with my high schoolers.  Getting then to learn about this and to think outside their own world I think will help shape them to help others.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have be able to take this class.   

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