Principal Shadowing Project

The Oklahoma Institute for Teaching East Asia at The University of OK, is partnering with The Freeman Foundation to sponsor a second Chinese-U.S. Principal Shadowing Project in Oklahoma.  The purpose of the project is to build partnerships between school administrators to promote mutual intercultural understanding and to create opportunities for professional development.

 

The partnerships are designed to:

• Develop greater understanding of the partner school in its social context

• Develop deeper knowledge of another educational system

• Establish a mutually beneficial on-going relationship

• Promote intercultural understanding

This project will begin by pairing an OK principal with an English-speaking principal in Sichuan Province or Chongqing Municipality, China.  In the fall of 2007 the Chinese principal will visit their counterpart for approximately one week.

 

The Chinese Principals’ trip to the U.S. will involve:

• A seminar on American education to prepare them for their experience shadowing a counterpart in am American school           

• Some local sight seeing and cultural events

• A site visit to your school community, including opportunities to observe you on the job, visit a variety of classes, visit district schools at each level, meet faculty, be welcomed by the school community, attend events, and have their many questions answered.  

• Local school communities on both sides will provide homestays, meals, local transportation, and local events for their guest. 

 

Please note that the Freeman Foundation grant and the Oklahoma Institute for Teaching East Asia will be responsible for arranging and/or paying for most of these activities.  Your primary responsibility will be to arrange a home stay and a schedule of events during the Chinese principal's visit to your school.  Our office will provide a pre-visit orientation for you so that you are prepared to host.  We will also present a pre-departure orientation to prepare you to travel to China.

 

In March 2008 (spring break and a few days after), OK principals will have the opportunity to visit their counterpart principal in China.  They will attend lectures on Chinese education in Beijing, spend a week in a Chinese school community, and of course have some sightseeing and fun!

 

The cost for principals to participate in this extraordinary program is approximately $1500--or perhaps a little less.  This contribution will help cover the travel expenses to China.  All other expenses will be paid for by in-kind donations and a generous grant from The Freeman Foundation.

 

Oklahoma is the second state nationally to be offered this program.  We will accept only twelve K-12 principals statewide.  If you would like to visit more about the details of this project, please contact our office to schedule a meeting.

 

The following forms will need to be submitted if you are making plans to participate in this project:

• Statement of Commitment

• Principal Profile Form

 

2006-7 Principal Shadowing Project report

Eleven OK principals from K-12 public and private schools, representing seven school districts, recently returned from Chongqing and Sichuan Province in China . None of the eleven had China programs in their schools when the project began.  After a seminar in Beijing on Chinese education the group visited the Ministry of Education and saw historic venues.  They stayed with host families while shadowing their counterpart principals, observing classes, and talking with teachers.  All the principals were given the charge to develop any program that would benefit both schools in the new pairings; the results were prodigious!!  All the schools agreed on a sister school relationship; nine are beginning a Chinese language program; seven established a student exchange program and four established a teacher exchange program.  Several of the OK principals commented that the experience in China was life-altering, both professionally and personally.

Photos from the Chinese principals' visit in October 2006