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The Kansas in the World Awards for Excellence in International Education 2009

Lincoln Elementary School in Baxter Springs and Sabetha High School in Sabetha, Kansas were the winners of the Kansas in the World Award for Excellence in International Education 2009. The $1000 award is presented annually by the Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools (KCIES) to one high school and one middle or elementary school in the state that demonstrate a clear focus on raising student awareness of the world through international education.

Definitions of international education at the K-12 level can be as broad as the globe itself, but basically, it’s “putting the world into world-class education.” Learning about Asia, Latin America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and their people, cultures, history and politics can’t wait until college in these times. Rather, it is an education that begins earlier so that all Kansans can look beyond our borders when they look afar, so they’ll see how events in other lands affect life in our state.

International education isn’t just communicating in languages other than English, though that’s a good start. It’s something that’s part of English, history, social studies, math, music, business and even science classes. When students learn about other world regions, cultures and global issues, they’ll begin to see some similarities between people instead of only differences. And they’ll see themselves as part of the world as well as part of Kansas and the United States.

Does your school have a commitment to international education across the curriculum? If so, apply for the 2010 Kansas in the World Excellence in International Education Award. Click here for more information and an application.

Chinese Language in Kansas 2009 Update - Growth in course offerings, sites and student enrollment continues

Three years later, the change has been dramatic: the number of schools, colleges, and universities offering Chinese has risen substantially with a concomitant increase in the number of students taking Chinese classes. An update for the "Report of the Kansas Task Force on Chinese Language Training" that covers the 2008-2009 academic year is available by clicking here.

Postcards from Asia

Travel to China, Japan and Korea without leaving your radio thanks to the Center for East Asian Studies' new radio series "Postcards from Asia". The :60 program is a collaboration between KPR and the Center. Each "Postcard" gives listeners a brief and enticing glimpse of Korean, Japanese or Chinese culture from the contemporary to the ancient, from the exotic to the familiar. Dr. Bill Tsutsui, associate professor of history at KU, is the voice of "Postcards from Asia".

To hear "Postcards from Asia" tune in to KPR on Wednesdays at 9:59 PM and Saturdays at 1:04 PM or click here.

"Postcards from Asia" is supported by the Kansas Asia Community Connection, www.AsiaKan.org.

New Video on Global Education

Asia Society and the George Lucas Educational Foundation are pleased to release A World-Class Education: Volume 2. This DVD, the second in the series, features Thomas Friedman in an updated film on the importance of international knowledge and skills in the 21st century. The film outlines steps that schools, communities and policy makers can take and is a useful communications tool. Short films highlight exceptional school models in action:

Success Spoken Here: John Stanford International School (A Seattle elementary language immersion school).
The Global Dimension: Walter Payton College Prep High School (An inner-city Chicago high school featuring exchanges and distance learning)
A Night in the Global Village: Heifer Ranch (Students experience conditions in developing countries firsthand)
Learning Without Borders: International School of the Americas (A Texas high school that integrates international content throughout the curriculum)

For more information or to order, click here.

To find out about the latest international education news, resources, and grant opportunities, subscribe to the International Education in the Schools monthly newsletter, click here

The Kansas Task Force on International Education Formed

Americans increasingly recognize global interdependence as one of the most important developments of the twenty-first century. With one in five jobs tied to trade beyond our borders, the need to train more American students in international education is immediate and pressing. Today, the number of students doing this nationwide is minuscule, and in Kansas even smaller. How to meet the urgent need for more knowledge of other world regions, cultures, languages, and global issues—the components of international education—is a challenge being discussed by educational leaders across the United States.

Realizing the significance of global literacy to the future prosperity and security of our youth, our nation, and our state, the Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools is convening a statewide Kansas Task Force on International Education. The members of the Task Force will survey the current state of international education in Kansas elementary and secondary schools, evaluate future needs and priorities in such training, and make specific recommendations for high-priority initiatives. The Task Force's report, which will be presented to the Governor, legislators, and educational policymakers, will stimulate and accelerate the statewide discussions on the importance of international education in Kansas schools and initiatives to support it.

The Kansas Task Force on International Education will meet in fall 2008 to plan a statewide survey and complete their final report in the fall 2009. The members of the Task Force will represent educational institutions at all levels, government agencies, professional organizations, and businesses concerned with international affairs and the teaching of world languages. The members include:

Donna Reynolds, Chairperson, Abilene Sister City Board, Abilene, KS
Betsy Degen, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Shawnee Mission School District
Paul Faber, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, Fort Hays State University
Phyllis Farrar, Executive Committee, KCIES and World Languages/ESOL Program Consultant, Kansas State Department of Education
Jan Heinen, Executive Committee, KCIES and Director of Middle Level Education
Olathe Schools
Nancy Hope, Executive Committee, KCIES and Center for East Asian Studies, University of Kansas
Marjorie Landwher-Brown, Director of Global Learning, Douglass Public Schools
Karyn Page, President and CEO, Kansas World Trade Center
Mary Pyle, Board Member, KCIES and Managing Director of World Trade Center, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Glyn Rimmington, Task Force Chair, Boeing Distinguished Professor of Global Learning, Wichita State University
Robert Riordan, Black & Veatch (retired)
J. Richard Schrock, Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences, Emporia State University
Alice Sagehorn, Professor of Education, Pittsburg State University
Carol Swinney, Distance Learning Consultant, Southwest Plains Service Center
Chuck Thorpe, President, Kansas World Language Association and SVS Instructor, Kansas State University
William Tsutsui, Executive Committee, KCIES and Associate Dean for International Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Lynn Vasquez, Executive Committee, KCIES and Social Studies Program Consultant, Kansas State Department of Education
Tom Vontz, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, Kansas State University and President, Kansas Council for the Social Studies
Debra Wenzel, Family and Consumer Science Program Consultant, Kansas State Department of Education
Sheree Willis, Executive Director, Confucius Institute, University of Kansas
Baili Zhang, Director of International Programs, Washburn University

The state-wide survey of Kansas school district administrators and of parents, business people, teachers and other Kansans was completed during the spring 2009 semester. The report of the Task Force will be issued next fall.

For more information on the Kansas Task Force on International Education, please contact Nancy Hope, (785) 864-3918, nfhope@ku.edu.

Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning Conference

The Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning is a national network of K-12 educators and policymakers dedicated to sharing best practices and advancing public policy to integrate global knowledge and skills within the mainstream of American education. The Partnership's annual conference, "Putting the World into World-Class Education" will take place in Arlington, Virginia from July 9-11, 2009. To learn more about the Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning and the Forum, please visit www.asiasociety.org/forum. For a printable pdf about the Forum, click here.

Kansas Task Force on International Education Wants Your Opinion on Kansas Public Schools

Global interdependence is one of the most important developments of the 21st century. With many jobs tied to trade beyond our borders, the need to train more American students in international education is very real. How to meet the need for more knowledge of other world regions, cultures, languages, and global issues—the components of international education—is a challenge being discussed by educators, parents, community members and business people across the United States.

Given the significance of international education to the future our youth, our nation, and our state, the Kansas Task Force on International Education is surveying Kansans regarding international education in Kansas public schools. You can help stimulate and accelerate statewide discussions on this important topic and the initiatives needed to support it by taking a short online survey. Just click on this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=By1Up_2fUjq4AupNY40m_2bLcg_3d_3d

Please take the survey just once and forward this invitation to your colleagues and friends who also care about education in the 21st century. We will be collecting responses until May 31st. If you would like more information about the Task Force on International Education or the survey, please contact Nancy Hope at nfhope@ku.edu or 785-864-3918.

Thank you for helping Kansas schools!

The 2008 Kansas in the World Awards for Excellence in International Education

Awards were presented to Hill City Elementary/Longfellow Middle School in Hill City and Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Kansas. The $1000 award is presented annually by the Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools (KCIES) to one high school and one middle or elementary school in Kansas that has demonstrated a strong commitment to international education by incorporating international content into a variety of subject areas, offering foreign language study and supporting professional development of teachers.

Does your school incorporate international education across the curriculum? If so, apply for the 2009 Kansas in the World Excellence in International Education Award. Click here for the requirements and application

International Education Forum 2008

International Education and how best to incorporate it into the Kansas curriculum at all grade levels was the focus of the 2008 KCIES Forum on Putting the World into World-Class Education held December 9, 2008. Despite inclement weather, the Forum drew a crowd of close to 80 participants includeing K-12 educators and administrators as well as college-level educators and pre-service teachers. Featured speakers and panelists included local experts from area schools and businesses as well as Dr.Gerhard Fischer, International Education Consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. This was the third annual forum on international education organized by KCIES and held at Washburn University’s Bradbury Alumni Center.

For photos of the Forum, click here.

For PowerPoint presentations from the Forum, click here.

For an annotated list of web resources on international education, click here.

For more information about the Forum, contact Randi Hacker, KCIES Outreach Coordinator at rhacker@ku.edu or 785-864-3832.

Chinese Language in Kansas 2008 Update - Growth in course offerings, sites and student enrollment substantial

Two years later, the change has been dramatic: the number of schools, colleges, and universities offering Chinese has risen substantially with a concomitant increase in the number of students taking Chinese classes. An update to the "Report of the Kansas Task Force on Chinese Language Training" that covers the 2007-2008 academic year is now available. To read more about Chinese language programs in Kansas, click here.

The Kansas in the World Award 2009

The Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools (KCIES) is pleased to announce the fourth annual Kansas in the World Award for Excellence in International Education. This program awards a prize of $1,000 each to one elementary or middle school and to one high school that show a commitment to increasing international learning across the curriculum. Any public or private elementary/middle school or high school in Kansas with a clear focus on raising student awareness of the world and closing the international knowledge gap is eligible. The application deadline is February 27, 2009.

We plan to present the awards at the 2009 Kansas State Department of Education meeting for curriculum leaders.

Click here for an application

Please contact Randi Hacker at rhacker@ku.edu with any questions.

Chinese Language in Kansas 2007
More schools offering, more students learning Chinese

In October 2006, the Kansas Task Force on Chinese Language Training, a statewide group of policymakers, educators, and business leaders, released a report surveying Chinese language programs in Kansas and offering a series of policy recommendations. With only two school districts offering Chinese in 2005-2006 (and a total of just 24 students and one certified K-12 teacher in the state), the challenges facing the development of Chinese language programs in Kansas seemed substantial.

But just one year later, the change has been dramatic: the list of school districts, colleges, and universities offering Chinese has grown dramatically and the number of students taking Chinese classes has increased almost ten-fold. An update to the Report of the Kansas Task Force on Chinese Language Training, covering the 2006-2007 academic year, is now available. To read more about the growth of Chinese programs in Kansas, click here.

KCIES Forum on Putting the World into World-Class Education

Tuesday, December 9, 2008
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Bradbury Thompson Center at Washburn University, Topeka

As at no time before, American education must prepare students to function in a world where challenges and opportunities for success require an ability to compete and cooperate on a global scale. Join the Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools at a forum on leading policy innovations and best practices that will advance international knowledge and skills as an essential component of K-12 education in Kansas for the 21st century.

Topics to be covered include:
1. Effective strategies and resources for integrating international content across the curriculum
2. Professional development opportunities and resources for teachers to help them expand their international knowledge
3. Policy innovations and funding resources to advance international education
4. How international education can promote academic excellence, equity and equal opportunity for all students
5. How businesses and universities can partner with schools to foster 21st century skills
6. How digital technology can create opportunities for students to connect across national boundaries

For the full agenda click here.

The Forum is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Luncheon will be provided for all pre-registered participants. To register, please complete the form and send it via US Mail or Fax to 785-864-5034 or contact Randi Hacker at rhacker@ku.edu.

Sponsored by the Kansas Committee on International Education in the Schools.
Click here for driving directions to the Bradbury Thompson Center.

For more information, please contact Nancy Hope at (785) 864-3918 or nfhope@ku.edu.

Two Kansas Schools win Prize for International Education

The 2007 Kansas in the World Award for Excellence in International Education was presented to the Olathe Northwest High School in Olathe and to Leonard C. Seal Elementary School in Douglas, Kansas. The $1000 award is presented annually by the Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools (KCIES) to one high school and one middle or elementary school in Kansas that has demonstrated a strong commitment to international education by incorporating international content into a variety of subject areas, offering foreign language study and supporting professional development of teachers. LEARN MORE.

Does your school incorporate international education across the curriculum? If so, apply for the 2008 Kansas in the World Excellence in International Education Award. .

Superintendent James Keller and gifted teacher Marjorie Landwehr-Brown from Douglas with social studies coordinator Maureen Donegan and business teacher Annette Johnson from Olathe and KCIES Board Member Nancy Hope at the awarding of the 2007 Kansas in the World Award for Excellence in International Education.

Chinese Spoken Here: A Post-Workshop Report

More than 50 people attended “Chinese Spoken Here”, a workshop on implementing Mandarin Chinese language programs which was held on December 4, 2007 at Washburn University’s Bradley Thompson Center in Topeka, Kansas. Educators and administrators from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Massachusetts offered tips and strategies for starting – and maintaining – Chinese language programs primarily at the elementary and secondary level. Kansas Commissioner of Education, Dr. Alexa Posny, gave the welcome address. To access her text, click here.

Other speakers and panelists included Dr. Jessica Stowell from the Confucius Institute at Oklahoma University (to view her PowerPoint, click here); Carol Woolbright, Director Interactive Distance Learning Southeast Kansas Education Service Center (to view her PowerPoint, click here); Nancy Hope, Associate Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas and the Kansas Consortium for Teaching About Asia (to view her PowerPoints, click here and here) and Gary Price, Superintendent of the Pittsburg School District. A highlight of the workshop were the presentations by students from Marysville, Washburn, White City and Winfield who are taking Chinese through interactive distance learning (IDL) classes in their high school.

To see the agenda, click here.

To view the slide show of the workshop, click here.

For more information about the workshop, contact Nancy Hope at nfhope@ku.edu.

Kansas Task Force on Chinese Language Training Formed

Americans are increasingly recognizing the rise of China as one of the most important developments of the twenty-first century. With China's tremendous economic growth and rapid emergence as an international leader, the need to train more American students in the Chinese language is immediate and pressing. Today, the number of students nationwide who are studying Chinese is minuscule, only about 24,000. That compares with the 3 million taking Spanish, the most popular language in America's schools, with French and German next. How to build the capacity to meet the urgent need for more training in Chinese language is a challenge now being actively discussed by educational leaders across the United States. LEARN MORE.

Two Kansas Schools Win Prize for International Education

The 2006 Kansas in the World Award for Excellence in International Education was presented to the Center for International Studies at South High School in Shawnee Mission and to Southwest Junior High School in Lawrence, Kansas. The $1000 award is presented annually by the Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools (KCIES) to one high school and one middle or elementary school in Kansas, that has demonstrated a strong commitment to international education by incorporating international content into a variety of subject areas, offering foreign language study and supporting professional development of teachers. LEARN MORE.

Kansas Summit on Strategic Languages

More than 100 people attended the Language Summit held on December 19, 2006 at Washburn University’s Bradley Thompson Center in Topeka, Kansas. Representatives from the educational community, the business community and the government were in attendance to discuss ways to implement the inclusion of strategic languages such as Chinese, Russian and Arabic into the K-12 curriculum across the state. The Keynote Speaker, Catherine Ingold, Director of the National Foreign Language Center in Maryland, spoke about the critical need for improved language teaching in US schools. To view the PowerPoint, click here.

Other speakers and panelists included State Senator Chris Steineger; Sue Gamble, KS Board of Education; Dr. William Tsutsui, Kansas Committee for International Education in the Schools Executive Board member and Robert Davis, Director of the Confucius Institute at the Chicago Public Schools.

For a look at the program click here.

View the Summit slide show

Kansas School-to-School Exchange Initiative Gets Off the Ground

The Kansas Consortium for Teaching About Asia, with support from the Freeman Foundation of New York and Stowe, Vermont, announces the start of a series of school-to-school exchanges between districts in the greater Kansas City area and China beginning in academic year 2005-2006. These exchanges are aimed at significantly increasing communication and understanding between East Asia and America's Heartland and at promoting international education at the most personal level. The participating school districts are Lansing, Olathe and Shawnee Mission, Kansas, and Lee's Summit, Missouri. Partner schools in China are located in Kaifeng (in Kansas's sister province of Henan) and Xian (the sister city of Kansas City, Missouri). The exchanges will be facilitated by the China Exchange Initiative of Newton, Massachusetts. In addition to enhancing Asian studies programs in the participating districts, students will have the opportunity to travel to China, to learn Chinese, and to experience Chinese education and Chinese culture firsthand. This, in turn, will work to sustain and build the momentum in Kansas and Missouri for making East Asia a permanent part of the K-12 curriculum. The Kansas Consortium for Teaching About Asia is housed at the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Kansas.