Confucius Institute, Alfred University host first Chinese Language Education Development and Administrate Conference of New York State

Alfred University recently hosted the Inaugural Chinese Language Education Development and Administrate Conference, which brought more than 30 administrators and educators from 17 schools/school districts and organizations in western New York to the campus.

The two-day conference examined issues connected to the teaching of Chinese in New York public schools, with Paul Casseri, Superintendent of the Lewiston-Porter Central School District, delivering the keynote address. Alfred University Provost Beth Ann Dobie and Robert Stein, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, also addressed the educators.

Topics of the conference included “New York State 2021 World Language Learning Standards,” and “Maximizing Learning Outcomes of Chinese Language Programs: Collaborations, and Resources.”

In addition to the formal sessions, guests on the campus were treated to Friday evening dinner performances featuring recitations of Chinese poetry by Alfred University’s Chinese 101 class and the Music of Guzheng class; also performances of Chinese songs by Luanne Crosby and Mingren Huang, and a demonstration of Tai Chi Fan by Alfred University’s Confucius Institute, featuring CIAU instructors Huiyang Li and Shuping Song and members of the Western New York Tai Chi Society Pat LaCourse and Theresa Brown.

Dr. Beth Ann Dobie, Provost & Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Kent, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Dr. Sandra Singer, Chair of the Modern Language Division addressed their welcome remarks at the dinner and introduced Alfred University to the attendees.

According to Daisy Wu, the Director of AU Confucius Institute, the idea of the conference originated with the hope of organizing a regional conference for school administrators to share their practice of Chinese language program.

Responses to the conference were positive, Wu added.

“It is rare that I get to experience a first-time conference that is so well-organized and executed as the Inaugural Conference of Chinese Language Educators and Administrators for Upstate New York K12 schools, held this past weekend at Alfred University,” said Candace Black of the New York State Education Department.

Conference guests represented the following school districts in western New York: Rochester City School District, Ithaca City School District, Geneva City School District, Buffalo Public Schools, Lewiston-Porter Central School District, University at Buffalo, University of Rochester, St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, Nichols School at Buffalo, Early College International High School at Rochester, St. Benedict School at Amherst, NY, Northstar Christian Academy at Rochester, Corning Chinese School and the Painted Post School District.