1. 5月15日晚，有近百人参加了长城夏令营的Open House。
这次开营前的交流，非常成功，让家长了解了夏令营的各个科目的老师简历，能力，经验，课程设计，教学内容，科学授课方法，以及以人为本的基本模式。
2. 长城夏令营分别成立了各有三位老师的中文，数学教研组，制定了规范而有连续性的教学大纲，确定了根椐孩子特点，参营周数来设计课程，以及寓教于乐的教学方法。
3. 其它课程都是一个老师辅以两个有特长有经验的助教。
4. 除各科目授课老师外，长城夏令营更配备了多个值班老师，为了保证老师有充沛的精力，长城夏令营将一天分成两时段，每五小时为一时段，每时段有两个值班老师。
5. 长城夏令营与Progressive Chess（克城最大的国际象棋教育组织）在8月12日到8月17日联合举办国际象棋强化周，$195 一周， 上午9 点到下午4 点，需aftercare的孩子，4点后转入长城常规夏令营 (费用另付)
6. 目前关闭的周又收到很多报名申请，考虑到目前流行的H1N1疫情状况，可能有很多家庭的回国计划会作调整，长城夏令营决定增加教师编制，扩招10名学生，请家长们尽早报名。
1. 长城夏令营定于5月15日（周五）晚上7点到9点在Lewis Elementary School的体育馆举行Open House。地址是：Lewis Elementary School, 32345 Cannon Road, Solon, Ohio 44139。
此次Open House 将介绍课程安排及内容、任课老师、注意事项，参观教室和活动场地，这是开营前，老师、管理人员，与家长、学生的唯一一次交流与讨论的机会，务请已报名参加夏令营的学生家长准时参加。
2. 感谢家长们的踊跃参与，长城夏令营前三周，6/15 – 7/3，名额已满，现在关闭注册。其余各周还有少量名额，可继续接受注册。有兴趣而尚未注册的家长，可参加我们于5月15日举办的 Open House。
3. 为了加强在美华人小孩的数学教育，鼓励他们学习数学的热情，长城夏令营特别成立了由北大数学系硕士任组长，与北京市特级数学教师，CSU工程系研究生组成的夏令营数学教研组。
4. 长城夏令营英文戏剧的老师由CSU商学院讲师担任，配有两位助手，一位是今年获得全美高中生最高荣誉总统奖的Kathy Qian，一位是五次获得即兴演说冠军、目前年级排名第一的Solon高中三年级学生的Cathy Huang 。
5. 中国著名画家洛齐,中国美术学院副教授，洛齐艺术基金会创始人，《艺术财富》总编辑，今年将再回克利夫兰长城夏令营教授艺术课（中国水墨及写生）。
6.长城夏令营今年的芭蕾老师除了著名的马克老师之外，更在他的的帮助下，荣幸地请到了俄亥俄芭蕾舞剧院的两位当红女主演到长城夏令营来授课，她们都是今年俄亥俄芭蕾舞剧院原创舞剧“奥芝大师”的主演。
7.长城夏令营六月十五到六月二十六日开设电影制作课，由有著名Overbrook 电影制作公司工作经验的老师担任主讲，(该公司制作过“The pursuit of Happiness”, “Hancock”, “I am legend” 等多部优秀影片)，助手是跟随父亲拍摄了多部中国社区故事，有很多实地拍摄经验的高中生。
长城夏令营不仅是一个学中文，学数学的夏令营，更是一个集艺术，音乐，表演，功夫，中英文表达，中国文化，娱乐于一体的有利于孩子们身心健康的夏令营。
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孩子一大，事就来了，要学的太多，找老师，就成了最大的事，也是最麻烦的事了，因为没有好老师就没有好学生嘛。可你怎么才知道这是一位好老师呢？
比如找美国老师，他们更注重孩子的兴趣，所以看起来进展很慢，价钱又贵，中国家长都有点着急上火。找中国老师吧，好倒是好，也挺严格的，可哪有那么多的专业老师呢？所以很多业余爱好者就来凑数，说得天花乱坠，家长也不知所以，白白耽误了孩子。
说到老师，第一就要看专业知识，因为专业不够强，我找他干吗？自己教不就得了。第二就要看他的表达，表达能力好才能吸引孩子们，才能将他的东西教给你的孩子。可是你怎么才知道他专不专业呢？怎么才知道他会不会表达呢？仔细研究很重要！
你能做的第一件事是先看他的简历，资格够了就算过了第一关；第二就是陪孩子上课，听他讲课，表达好不好，一目了然；第三就是向周围人询问，听听广大群众的意见，当然这还远远不够，因为很多家长也就是一个看热闹的水平。最后，也就是最重要的一点，就是要比较，自己去多听几节不同老师的课。
专业知识很重要，比如，国内很有名的画家朋友来美国玩，他的画被选到华盛顿艺术节上的中国特展，我在那里看到很多看不懂的抽象画，让他给解释一下，他说要解释就是一部艺术史，我说那是不是骗人的，故作深奥，他摇头，抽象画所有的成名画，每一样东西都是有传承的，有出处的，你要是看懂了，你就是行家了。这跟你们学科学一样，是一步一个脚印走过来的。你没有学过自然不懂，但你不懂，不等于是没有意义的东西。后来，大女儿学了艺术史，将几幅有名的抽象画的特点讲给我听了，找出处给我看了，我大吃一惊，真的，不得不佩服艺术家们深刻的思维，与无限的想象力，也明白价值连城绝对是有道理的，因为世界上的人都不是傻瓜。
作为老师，会教更重要。我们请这位画家朋友来玩，顺便让他给孩子们上素描课，大开眼界。从画的物件的选择，摆放的位置，物件的质地，灯光的来源，都极有讲究。每次，他都要在桌上先铺上桌布，然后放上质地稍硬的东西，最后是最硬的东西，他说，要孩子们观察的不仅是明暗，更重要的是质地。我暗想，这素描怎么画得出质地来？有一天，画花瓶、一篮水果和一个单放的桃子。画到一半了，同学让老师看看，老师说，桃子看起来太软了。我一看，也不觉得。另一个同学得意的地说，我好喜欢我的桃子哦！我和老师都去看，老师笑了。我一看，果然新鲜脆崩的样子，一比较我才恍然大悟。老师让学生们将他们的画放到前面，自己与物件对比，同时也将自己的画与别的同学比。然后又讲了明暗，什么地方最亮，什么地方最暗，最亮处也有暗的地方，最暗处也有亮的地方，怎样过渡，怎样变化。他要求学生用小细线条慢慢地、一点一点地把层次画出来，最重要的是物件一定要立起来了。同学们重做之后，画面看起来栩栩如生，立体三维尽在画中。
想起小女儿跟艺术学院的老师学，都是让她们参考名画，然后自己画。眼界是开了，感觉也好得不得了，但基本功还是没有。一方面老师本人的画功有限，另一方面教法也不太一样，总觉得他们缺一点画龙点睛的本事（这一点可能是没有碰到更好的老师）。美国的教育很多是对真正的天才有效，除非你自己能够琢磨出一套方法，否则可能学了半天，拿出去一比就不行了，因为基础不好嘛。所以还不知怎么办呢。
老师不好，学生肯定上不去，除非你只是想让孩子玩玩，但如果不想浪费资源的话，找好的老师势在必行。因为孩子有这方面的兴趣你才会花功夫让他（她）学，有兴趣，就一定有特长，有特长就要好的老师带领才不浪费孩子们的天份。大女儿第一个溜冰教练手下最好的孩子十五岁了，只能做空中旋转两周，转入Carol Heiss (五届世界杯金牌，奥运会一金一银http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Figure_Skating_Championships#Ladies)手下，她最好的孩子是当时只有十八，九岁的 ，世上称为四周跳之王的提玛斯（二届世界杯亚军），不到十五岁的帕克（世界杯青少年冠军）已能做空中旋转三周半。三个月以后十一岁的女儿就从只能跳一周半，到能跳不同的几种空中旋转二周。资源不一样成就不一样，但关键还是那些孩子的工作态度，凡事专心求好，孜孜不倦，与这些孩子为伍，对孩子们好的影响多。
所以，以我的经验，老师很重要，选好老师，你也就心安理得地为他（她）开车，花钱，跑东跑西吧，呵呵。
I cannot upload the file with the Escher picture. However, you can follow this link to see it.
http://www.bric-a-brac.org/enigmes/images/impossible/escher_belvedere.jpg.html
There are many intriguing and “impossible” aspects to this picture.
Mrs. Debbie
April 15th,2009
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Dear Parents and Students,
I’m attaching the next prompt–the stimulus–for the next essay/story in English class. It is in a file called “Escher,” and I am hoping that it will upload successfully.
The dedication of the kids continues to impress and inspire me. The imagination of the “Accordion Girl” work illustrates just how creative these young people can be, and some other gifts are also very much in evidence. I am posting essays along with comments. If you feel uncomfortable with this–either as a parent or as a student–please let me know. I mean the postings to be an incentive and a motivation, not a punishment or a way of criticizing.
I am still waiting to post Elizabeth’s “Accordion Girl” story, as well as the one by Eileen and the one by Toby. And yes, Lin! I continue to look for your work!
We are still reading pieces of *The Fruit Bowl Project* every week, and our discussions are lively and–here’s a pun!–”fruitful.”
The Escher assignment is due this coming Friday, April 17. If you are a student, remember to bring that writing as well as your book and your notebook and A SHARPENED PENCIL, that would be extremely helpful. If you are a parent, please remind your student.
A final note: as far as I know, participating in the English class is voluntary. I hope that everyone who comes enjoys herself or himself and feels that she or he is learning something valuable. If that is not the case, please talk to me about what we can do to improve the situation. My email is you_orientation@yahoo.com, and I am always glad to hear from you.
Mrs. Debbie
The Accordion Girl
By David Ye
The hottest day of the summer was drawing to a close in the grimy streets of Manhattan when a joyful folk song erupted from Time Square. The performer, a little girl named Gabriella played for hours before picking up her chair and red bucket to go home. Her entire family was depending on her to make money. She had not walked for long when she was stopped by a rushing crowd of admirers, eager to give her money. As her bucket quickly filled, someone gave her a suitcase and it filled, too. Lugging her packages home, she rang the doorbell and her mother came to the door. Gabriella dropped the bucket and the suitcase. Her mother took one look at the money, screamed, and fainted.
The next morning as Gabriella clomped to the kitchen, the doorbell rang. An elderly woman with a warm smile greeted her, “I’m a professor from the Julliard School of Music.” She said, “We would like to accept you to our school with a full scholarship.”
Comments: Wow! Look at some of these word choices! The streets are “grimy;” Gabriella “clomps;” the folk song is “joyful” and “erupts!” Look at the sophistication of the sentence structure, with multiple clauses and logical sequence. One example is “Lugging her packages home, she rang the doorbell and her mother came to the door.” A less accomplished writer might have written something like: “Gabriella carried her packages home. She rang the doorbell. Then her mother came to the door.” The rhythm of David’s original keeps the momentum of his story going.
I also really enjoyed the element of exaggeration here, which turns a brief story into a kind of tall tale. Once Gabriella’s bucket is filled, there is still so much money that it has to be put into a suitcase. The mother is not just surprised by Gabriella’s good fortune–she faints! And finally, Julliard awards what is probably its first-ever scholarship for accordion playing!
You really accomplish a lot with a very few words, David. Congratulations!
April 15th,2009
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There was a poor and sad girl named Annie that went though life by playing the accordian to collect money in calafornia. One day a nice couple hired her to play in their house, they gave her food, drinks and a nice fluffy bed. She practiced a long time to master a very hard song so beautiful and smooth.
2 months past, a earthquake hit calafornia. Annie left the accordian in the house to save the old couple. She wanted to save her accordian from being smashed, but she didn’t want to let the old couple die like her birth parents. They escape freely, but she couldn’t play the accordian. The nice couple said nicely “Thack you for saving us” They tried to buy an accordian, but they didn’t have enough money to buy one. They went to their friend Alison’s house to live.
They lived there 1 years, but never talked about wanting an accordian, because they’ll make fun of Annie. 1 day she exclaimed “I want a accordian.” Alison screamed “Stop screaming” Annie began to cry and sobbed “Can you plase buy me one accordian?” Alison beathed and answered “O.K., but don’t break it.”
The next day, they shopped for a cheap accordian, so they brought a cheap one and lived as fantacic as possible.
Comments: Alec still needs to work on some “mechanical” issues such as grammar and proofreading–and sometimes spelling. Many problems could be solved by proofreading.
Despite these drawbacks, though, Alec has written a story with many creative touches. I particularly like “the nice couple said nicely” and the wonderful ending about how they “lived as fantacic as possible.” Thrifty parents will no doubt also be proud that “they shopped for a cheap accordian”!! It’s a nice touch, too, that under pressure, Alison collects herself: she “beathed and answered.” Grammar can be fixed by a child paying attention. Imagination, though, cannot be taught. Alec has what is most important.
There once was a poor little girl who played the accordion for money because of the Great Depression. This is the exciting story I am going to tell you.
It was a chilly and windy day when the little girl dressed in only a short shirt, a puny jacket and a pair of ripped up jeans. If you just peek at her you could see she was poor.
When the school bell rang, the little girl hurried to the side of the school and sat on a rusty chair, picked up an old accordion and put a can on the ground. Then she started playing wonderful music that attracted many people but she only earned a few coins.
After many hours of playing, she got up, took the can and walked down a narrow road with a big smile on her face because when she looked down in the can there were 5 GOLD coins! She knew they were worth a lot.
So after a walk to home she gave the can to her parents but all they could say was “Wow Alice!” They gave each other a big hug. From that day on they lived a happy peaceful life.
Comments: This is a pretty sophisticated essay! The sentences are complex. There is good detail–notice how much we know about the girl’s clothing. The plot is simple, but the girl is very virtuous. When she has her miraculous good fortune–the result of hard work and effort–she immediately turns over her reward to her parents. A lovely story, isn’t it?
Dear Parents,
It was lovely to meet a few more of you last Sunday.
I am posting some essays and plan to begin posting homework as well. These first essays are in response to a photograph.
I have posted the photo in a file called “Accordion Girl photo.”
四月五日下午，长城课后中心在Beachwood商业发展中心大厅做了一次中文教育的研讨会，邀请了几位很有想法，很有特点，很有经验，目前在美国私立，公立学校，教书或教中文的老师来做讲座，并与我们中心的中文与中文阅读老师一起探讨中文教育的方式方法。
我们是一个规模不大的课后中心，一直想做的就是精品教育，尤其是中文的精品教育。老师好不好显得非常重要，因为国外的孩子个性突出，直接了当，喜欢就学，不喜欢就不学，家长也没有办法强迫。再加上我们是课后班，一方面，小朋友上了一天的课以后，已经很累了，能否再学习新的东西？另一方面，孩子们年龄相差较大，中文程度不一，生活习惯不同，怎样才能激发小朋友们学习中文的热情？怎样才能让孩子们在一天的学习以后仍然充满学习的兴趣？怎样才能让不同年龄，性格，程度的学生在同样的时段都学到相当的知识？这些都是摆在我们面前的很重要的课题! 这也对老师提出了更高的要求。老师要有热情，要有方法，要有才能，要有爱心，要有情趣，要有学习新东西的能力，还要有不断进取的上进心！真的，要教好孩子，这方方面面还真不能少！
研讨会开始，第一个发言的是在美国一所公立学校教汉语的W老师，她用计算机将她的一个获奖教案展示出来，很多小的录相片段很直观的让我们看到小朋友用肢体动作，各式身体语言，音乐歌声与中文的抽象文字联系在一起，让那些完全没有中文环境的小朋友能说，能认中文。看得出，要让这些完全没有中文背景的孩子们喜欢学中文，并将这种学习热情保持下去，没有过人的能力和热情是办不到的。
H老师是长城课后中心的中文老师，也是课后中心的音乐老师，她在中国是学音乐教育的，在中国教过高中孩子的音乐课。今天，她将一次小班的中文课作为例子，叙述了她给小朋友上课的一些理念，因为是小班的学生，注意力不是那么容易集中，她在教小朋友的过程中发现，小孩子的好奇心很重，吸收能力很强，所以在学这篇“小鱼和星星”的课文时，她就以提问的方式开始，先问：“水里有什么？天上有什么？”引导孩子们去想，去动脑筋，一下子让他们将注意力集中到课堂上来。然后再教他们读课文，发现课文里说了什么。并且让孩子们读课文后，用肢体语言与手势比划让另一个同学用中文去猜、去回答。等兴趣吊起来后再去认字、组词、造句。她同时也利用音乐课教孩子们唱中文歌。（读有关文章请到中华职业家企业家协会博客http://cpeaus.org/blog/，长城课后中心教师手记 http://www.cpeaus.org/teachers_notes.html）孩子们在不断深入地学习中发现自己寻找的答案。
L老师在美国一所私立学校教中文，她本身不仅有好多年在美国教授中文的经验，更有很多年在IT业的经验，这些经验让她有更多的机会将新的IT技术用于中文教学。她的教学应用了很多多媒体的支持，她自己做的一些电子化的中国字，词组，故事，让孩子们一边学，一边看到很形象的环境，动作，说、唱、演，过程及故事等等，让孩子们能够身临其境。为了让孩子们能够对汉字有整体印象，她还教小朋友写毛笔字。此外，她还认为，“功夫在课外”，主张教师在备课时做好充足准备，设计好所有环节，而在上课时，要以学生为中心，教师从旁辅助孩子，完成学习任务。另外她很强调倾听孩子们的想法，她认为孩子们很小也有自己的主意，作老师作家长都应该尊重孩子们的想法。
LY老师是长城课后中心的中文阅读与朗诵老师，她将一节大班的中文阅读与朗诵课作为案例讲给大家听，她讲了怎样为有一定中文理解能力的孩子们选择阅读教材，然后再怎么鼓励孩子们自己阅读，朗诵课文，分析课文，老师从旁指点，最后让孩子们作互动表演，自己设计台词，表达方式。。。关于这堂课的内容她已在博文中写得很具体了，所以请查读她的原文更有说服力（请到中华职业家企业家协会博客http://cpeaus.org/blog/ ）。LY老师，从小喜爱朗诵，仰慕舞台上的儿童剧演员，然而当年流行的是“学好数理化，走遍天下都不怕”，所以最终还是学了理工科。现在对中文戏剧，尤其是儿童戏剧仍然充满热情，我想这种热情正是我们教好孩子们最基本的要求。她的优势是热爱戏剧，普通话字正腔圆，还能编会写，小朋友表演的剧本多半都是她自已动手编写。维持原创精神，这一点在当今世界十分重要，也能更好地鼓励我们的孩子们去自己发现，自己发明，自己创造。
最后发言的是WY老师，她在美国一所教育方法独特的私立学校教书，她本人是北师大毕业的，更在英国剑桥获得教育学硕士学位。在美国从事了多年的中文教育。这些学历，经历让她有良好的理论基础与长期的实践经验。今天她问了我们家长和老师一些问题，例如，你们认为孩子们是怎样去学习的呢？你们认为孩子们是怎样去获取知识的呢，这还真让我们难倒了，当然很快一些家长举手，认为各个年龄组的孩子不一样，小的时候是直观，大了以后才有了思考。WY老师从引导我们家长老师去思考，找出驱动孩子们主动学习的原因这个角度去研究学中文，她认为，语言环境，直观教具，做Project 等，都能让孩子们从实际经验中学到东西，从与日常生活密切相关的事物中学到东西，这些实际经验非常重要，孩子们学了就不会忘，而且积累起来，能量很大。这样的方法才能培养孩子们自己学习的自觉性与能动性。
综合各位老师的讲座，大家可以看出，她们的教学方式很有特点，侧重点不同，但好象又有很多共同点，各位老师都在强调与学生互动，有趣活泼的教学方法，将主动性放到学生手中，建立以学生为中心的教育方式。我们受益非浅，我们认为老师很重要，而我们的老师却觉得学生最重要！当然这并不矛盾，我们推崇的好老师，就是这种能推动孩子们主动学习的老师，能把学生的创造力作为学习驱动力的好老师！
太多可以互相学习与互相探讨的了，这种研讨会可以让老师家长，听到看到不同的方法，不同的特点，更可以取长补短，加强优势。今后我们一定会有更多这样的讨论会。
