Blake Welcomes Its First-ever Mandarin Chinese Teacher
|
Meet Norman Yansheng, a self-described "man of wild interests," a first-time visitor to the United States, and Blake's new Mandarin Chinese teacher. Yansheng joins the Blake faculty as part of The China Connection, a joint venture between the National Association of Independent Schools and the Chinese government that supports Chinese language instruction in independent schools throughout the U.S.
Born and raised in a small Chinese village, Yansheng earned his undergraduate degree in 2004 from Hubei Institute of Education. He was recently accepted to the postgraduate program at Huzhong University of Science and Technology, one of the top five universities in China. While he has postponed his studies so he can teach his native language to Blake's Middle and Upper School students, Yansheng enthuses about another kind of education he will receive through this new opportunity. "I want to personally experience America: the life, the thinking patterns, the merging of diverse nationalities and races. Blake is a great school with a long history. I'm excited about its diversity of students."
Yansheng's wild interests include music, writing, traveling, cooking, movies, sports and talking with people. And in coming to Minnesota, Yansheng hopes to add another interest to his list: "I've heard it snows a lot in winter. That's great. I can learn skating!" While he will miss his family, especially his parents, Yansheng says he hopes to adapt quickly to life in the U.S.
|
|
