Summer Academic Enrichment Eligible Programs

Goals

A. Program Goal: to expand students’ understanding about the bicultural or multicultural perspectives, and learn skills to navigate and interchange cultures in different settings. B. Program Objectives: 1) Learn Mandarin Chinese language skills and Chinese culture; 2) Interact with peers in a diverse setting using Mandarin; 3) Enhance world language academic knowledge, as well as civic engagement skills about racial equity and social justice. To achieve the learning objectives, our campers will examine how global issues impact local communities, exploring topics such as: China-US relationship, inequality, and identity formation. In addition, campers will share the experience through a story-book project, to use their language and culture skills to express their daily life experience, and develop their intercultural competence.

Activities

We will offer language lesson plans, as well as cover communal storytelling and project-based learning ideas. Course themes are brought to life through out-of-class learning with engaging activities, for example, while students are learning about Chinese language and cultures, we will build language and tool boxes for them to start to think about social justice work. We will introduce some ideas including how to be a bystander, stereotypes, festival life, food and self-care and self-identity work. During Camp, we might invite guest lectures and meetings with local organizations and community groups from the local Mandarin Speaking Network as well as Asian immigrant communities. Campers also share their learning and make connections in discussion with peers, including students from other immersion language programs. We will also arrange one or two field trips to Asian markets and Asian history museums to learn the history, culture while practicing the daily usage of the language. We will make sure that we support our campers with: 1) Total immersion learning program 2) Unique, child-friendly curriculum 3) Dedicated Chinese teachers and activity coordinators 4) Language lessons complemented by workshops, discussions, cultural and art activities 5) A safe and supportive environment.

Program Dates

Session One Dates/Times: Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28, 9:30am-3:30pm. Session One Location: The Blake School, 110 Blake Rd S, Hopkins, MN 55343; Session Two Dates/Times: Monday, August 5 to Friday, August 9, 9:30am-3:30pm. Session Two Location: Visitation School, 2455 Visitation Dr, St Paul, MN 55120.

Can students reside on campus? No

Can students commute to campus? Yes

Can students take online classes? No