FIFTH GRADE MANDARIN STUDENTS SPECIAL JOURNEY

Fifth Grade Mandarin Students from All Three Elementary Schools Go on Special Journey of Language learning and Cultural Interaction

Celebrating six years of Chinese language study, fifth grade Mandarin students from all three elementary schools went on a very special journey of Chinese language learning and cultural interaction, led by their Mandarin teachers and accompanied by their respective families.
Sea Cliff Mandarin teacher Mr. David Schultz, said, “Travelling together by train from the Port Washington Train Station, we made our way to the largest Chinese population center in New York, the Flushing Chinatown. There we experienced first-hand the intersection of the American "melting pot" culture and authentic Chinese culture. Students had a taste of the foreign but delicious "Dim Sum" cuisine, undertook a scavenger hunt in a traditional Chinese supermarket, and also delighted in the popular Chinese tea beverage, bubble tea.” 

On this excursion,  the fifth graders drew on their linguistic skills and cultural knowledge to successfully navigate a meeting of two very different cultures - that of their own and that of the one they have been studying for the entirety of their elementary school career.
Mr. Schultz added, “We are confident that this experience was exceedingly meaningful, fun, and educational for both the students and the parents . We believe that encountering the diversity of cultures in the world, as well as connecting to the target language community around them, will inspire them to become global citizens and lifelong language learners, preparing them for the changing world in the 21st century and beyond.”

He concluded by saying, “I just want to thank everyone for coming on our trip yesterday and also for your help in making it a successful outing.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.  It was really great spending time with you and your families, and making our Mandarin learning come alive through this cultural and culinary adventure right here in our own backyard in New York.” 

Article and photos provided by Mr. David Schultz