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Cindy NguyenFirst, I want to thank all the presenters who graciously made time in their schedule to speak to us. I was able to learn so much from their lectures, Questions, and Answers zoom meetings.
Cindy NguyenHi Brigid! That is awesome that you were so warmly welcomed by so many Korean families. I was also fortunate enough to have a similar experience of eating traditional food cooked by Korean friends' parents. So I am pretty familiar with Korean culture but not literature. Where did you find these novels? How did you introduce the reading to your students? Do Korean authors have a different writing style compared to other countries?
Cindy NguyenI came across this article by the Insider, "This map shows a trillion-dollar reason why China is oppressing more than a million Muslims." This article is an easy read for high students about the real reason for the persecution and imprisonment of millions of Uyghurs by the Chinese government. By analyzing the provided map, students are also able to form their conclusion on the Belt Road Initiative and its connection to the ill-treatment of the Uyghurs. There are also other links provided in the article for students who want to research further on the subject.
https://www.insider.com/map-explains-china-crackdown-on-uighur-muslims-in-xinjiang-2019-2
Cindy NguyenPlaying the soundtrack to Hero or Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon would be an impactful way to introduce a unit on China. After playing some clips of the music, we would dive deeper into who is Tan Dun and his contribution to the world of classical music. I would then show the Opening of the 2008 Olympics in China to show that classical music is not old and dead but alive and present in modern-day society. We would use this as a discussion point to tie into classical thought and traditional music.
Cindy NguyenI agree with you, Megan. Many Asian cultures view classical music as an essential part of a well-rounded education. "Look at the time of Confucius: if you wanted a government post you had to write poetry… It comes from parents, they believe if you have classical music training you will have the discipline that’s needed to perform." I feel this concept has been so ingrained into the minds of the Chinese people that it has now become apart of their identity. I believe this concept has seeped into the surrounding Asian countries through trade and interaction.
Cindy NguyenI have to admit I have no knowledge of Shenyun besides seeing their billboards along the freeways. I thought Shenyun was a government-funded show to promote the greatness of Chinese culture. It turns out to be the exact opposite. Falun Gong created this show not just for profit but "to demonstrate the evils of China's communist party and its beliefs. The show is fervently anti-atheist, anti-evolution, anti-Mao Zedong, and anti-Karl Marx." But the part about harvesting organs of these "dissents" is so horrific I cannot even wrap my mind around it. I fear this might be the case for the Uyghurs too. https://www.insider.com/shen-yun-show-falun-gong-2019-3.
Cindy NguyenI did a unit on "Identity" in my 9th Ethnic Studies class that is very similar to your beginning of the year lesson. My students and I enjoyed this unit because it allowed my students to learn about their heritage. It was a two-part lesson: the first part was to create a family tree then the second part was to interview family members. As a class, we discussed different types of interview questions ranging from their family member's struggles coming to America to their lives in America today. What amazed me the most was how willing they were to share their stories. This activity provides a platform for students to share their stories and to build bridges in the class.
Cindy NguyenThank you for sharing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVIQpMQik4E! I like how Nancy Berliner provides a clear and thoughtful explanation of the difference between Buddha and Bodhisattva. I would use this quick and simple explanation of Guayin as an introductory video to the Buddhism unit. Before the video, I would ask my students to fill out a Knowledge and Want to Know (KWL chart) on Buddhism and then after the video to complete the rest of the KWL chart. This chart allows students to compare and contrast their knowledge of Buddhism.
Cindy NguyenThank you, Tom and Jessica, for your ideas on how to introduce Buddhism into the class. I always felt I was limited on time to dive into the rich and long history of this school of thought. But if I borrow both of your ideas about assigning students into research groups, I think I might be able to cover a good portion of it. I like the idea of delegating countries to different groups of students and having them research Buddhism and then presenting their finds to the class. There are many benefits to doing an assignment this way. Students only have to responsible for one country, an opportunity to present, and listening skills.
Cindy NguyenI would create a Kahoot quiz based on the Korean Wave (hallyu). I think it would be a fun activity for the students and hopefully create interest in the unit "New Imperialism in Southeast/East Asia." Through this game, I hope to assess my students' prior knowledge of Asian culture and Hallyu. I also want to use this opportunity to show my students how music can be used as a platform to cross international and political lines.
Cindy NguyenIn recent years, I have witnessed the Hallyu influence becoming more prevalent among my female students in Los Angeles. I have never heard of the category "fandom ARMY," but I am pretty sure these girls fall under that category. In their notebooks, I can see BTS written all over their cover or evidence of concert stubs of Korean bands. A lot of times, I share my own experiences of Korean culture with my students. I believe this helps build an even more profound interest in foreign societies.
Cindy NguyenThat's an interesting point you bring up, Tom. Having students think about the concept of nation vs. state would be a good launching question. If a country identifies itself with one or the other, how does it affect the people living in that country? Are citizens encourage to treat minorities a certain way by the government? For example, do the Hans see the Chinese government as violating the civil rights of the Uyghurs by sending them against their will to the re-education camps or a necessity to rid the nation of any internal threats? I think my students would be shocked to find out how other countries treat "minorities."
Cindy NguyenThank you for the article! I was amazed by Nicholas Zhang, who has made it his mission to educate others on the lost history of the Kaifeng Jews in China. I think my students would enjoy reading about how a student similar to their age took up a cause and made it into a global topic. The part that would probably stun my students the most is to find out that Nicholas Zhang is not Jewish and has no connection to the Kaifeng Jews but solely took up this cause because of pure interest and appreciation of the Jewish community. I would use this article to help launch the Civil Rights and Voting Rights unit for my 11th grade class. Hopefully, this article will inspire my students to research different groups of people they never thought of before and begin to question their history and the government's treatment towards these minority groups.
Cindy NguyenI agree with you Mike. You make a valid point about the information we are taught about China is heavily focused on it's social and political aspects and rarely does it mention about Chinese arts being influenced by Western music. It was eye-opening to find out that Jesuits were the ones who brought Western music to China. I never questioned why or how classical music became such an important part of Chinese culture let alone for many Asian countries. I think it is important to emphasize in the classroom how the Silk Road brought music to China and the great legacy it left.
Cindy NguyenI think Tom's lesson plan is a great way to tackle the subject of geography and how it has greatly influenced the treatment of the Urghur in Xinjiang. The misconceptions of Muslims has given the CCP an excuse to imprison millions of Urghur against their will for reeducation and also using them as cheap labor in factories. I believe CCP is distrupting the lives of millions of Urghur because they live in Xinjiang, an important route used for the BRI. During my lesson on "America in the 21st century", I would explain how globalization has connected nations all around the world to each other for better or worse. Globalization could be shown through images of popular technology companies. I would ask my students how many use/have these brands at home, the origins of this company, and where it is made. Then I would explain to them how these companies would outsource their work or build factories in countries without minimum wage and/or the government controls the workers' pay. Hopefully students will understand how globalization connect people thousand miles away to each other. As a summative assessment, I would have students read the article https://china.usc.edu/sites/default/files/2020.04.07%20Tontev%20-%20BRI%20after%20covid-19.pdf which was provided by Professor Dru Gladney on BRI and how COVID has created a major economical backlash for the program and those countries involved.
