[Sandra Makielski]

I was immediately intrigued by the running theme of the Chinese selecting role models who had to overcome adversity.  This is a theme that transcends all borders and boundaries.  One of the examples given was Beethoven.  This is a very familiar musician to most Americans so it would be very easy to use the Little Music Magazine from 1905 as a way to draw connections and parallels.

I appreciated the sharing of many examples of music and artistis throughout history.  My understanding of western classical music is very limited.  I would have benefited if the professors could have taken one classical chinese song and pointed out what attributes make it "Chinese" versus "Western" in its sound/format.  

Heartbreaking to hear how the cultural revolution impacted the music community.

[Sandra Makielski]

Thank you, Professor Gladney, for this in depth look at minorities in China.  The lectures have provided much information on Muslims in China.  This is the first time I have had the opportunity to explore the Uyghur challenges in China.  Thank you.

Mapping the minority populations in China would work well in my geography class.

Professor Gladney pointed out parallels between the riots happening in the United States with the riots that have happened in China due to the corrupt practices by the police and the government.  Looking at how minorities are missed treated by systems in power in both countires would lead to greater understanding of how nation states may choose to respond to the "threat" of growing minorities.

Sterilization!  Again, parallels could easily be drawn by the United States and China through the practice of sterilization.

The mummified corpses would easily hook my students.....

[Sandra Makielski]

First, thank you to Professor Meeks and the comprehensive, yet accessible, PowerPoint overviews.  They are thorough but easy to take in.  The visuals were helpful.  Thank you, especially, for the maps.

While reviewing the material, I spent my energy thinking about ways to incorporate this material, heavily modified, into my classroom.  One approach might be to divide the students into small groups to look at the 6 different schools of Buddhism in Japan.  It would be a real achievement to be able to break down the schools into their elements and communicate their main ideas.

The many examples of art would be a great way to tell some of the stories of the Buddha.  Art History examples are often used in DBQ's and AP Testing so this would be an excellent opportunity to incorporate art into the curriculum.  I think I would again divide my students into groups, share one piece of art  with each group, and have the group analyze the work to learn about Buddhism.  Another approach might be to share 6 works of art and have the students match the art to a particular point in the Buddha's life.

Another lesson idea would be to look at dispassion.  This would be a great discussion with egocentric teenagers.  Wouldn't this topic be interesting if connected to leadership?

 

[Sandra Makielski]

I do listen to Kpop, I do eat at Korean restaurants and family members utilize Korean technology (phones and cars).  My daughter uses numerous Korean facial treatments and I have watched a handful of Korean films.  The article,  Nye and Kim, Soft power and K Wave.pdf, did a pretty good job of suggesting the pros and cons of relying on soft power to raise your country's influence in the political arena.  The article pointed out that Korea and Ghana had the same GDP in 1960.  I would have to say that Korea has done an exceptional job of infusing their cultre of 50 million into the rest of the world.  My children can discuss the Korean culture, all be it superficially, but they would have nothing to say about Ghana.  This particular article is a bit dated so I would be curious to read a current assessment regarding the soft wave of Korea and it's measure of success.

I guess I am a barbarian.... I eat ramen off the lid of my pans at home.  It was interesting to learn about the role of cuisine and how Korean food continues to be absorbed by other cultures.  Yes.... it is very strong smelling due to many foods beeing fermented but I have grown to love Korean foods.  So glad for "Hot! Hot! Hot"

[Sandra Makielski]

Hi Everyone!  My name is Sandra Makielski and I am a 7th grade geography teacher from North Kingstown, Rhode Island.  I love to travel, meet new people, and learn about different cultures.  My curriculum focuses on the eastern hemisphere so I am always looking for ways to learn about Asia and Africa.  I enjoy hiking, nordic skiing, gardening, reading, and quilting.  

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