cpauchnick's blog

One of the students from Guangxi University of Technology in China posted a message in the ePALS Student Forum, in the Social Issues titled "Paternal Love".

Eleven of my students from Patrick Henry High School posted replies to the original posted message. Here is the direct link to that section of the Student Forum:
http://www.epals.com/tools/forum/forum.e?bo=69&at=vm&id=40272&res=11&ofs=0&xtp=37#jtff

The ePALS Student Forum has so many students from all over the word discussing such a myriad of subjects. It's certainly an exciting place to visit.

Candace Pauchnick
Human Psy&Soc.teacher

Patrick Henry High School students are now getting ready to begin another international connection with students at Guangxi University of Technology in China. They may also participate in joining with students in other countries, too. Students will exchange emails each week and discuss a different cultural topic. General guidelines for discussion consist of the following topics:

* Traditional holidays and celebrations:
What types of holidays are celebrated and why? Compare which holidays are the same and how they celebrate them. How do people celebrate people's birthdays? What other information can be shared about traditions?

The live web-video conference between students at the Guangxi University of Technology in Liuzhou, China and the students at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, California, are presented in the PowerPoint presentation at this link:

http://henry.sandi.net/staff/cpauchni/webcon.html

This presentation is narrated so please turn on your computer sound and click on the speaker icons on each slide.

Some of the sound, from the students talking and singing, is not clear because it was inserted from another recording. The quality went down since this is actually the 3rd time around for being recorded and the equipment I used is not the top quality. As students could hear Sue singing in China at the actual conference her voice rang out true and clear in the most beautiful way.

Sue, Liu Xiaohui, from the Guangxi University of Technology in Liuzhou, China, sings such a truly beautiful song for our students at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, California, U.S.A. through our live-web conference. Her voice is so lovely and it was such a joy to hear.

Cara, a student at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, California, U.S.A. wrote about her experience with the live-video conference with students in the Guangxi Polytechnic University in Liuzhou, China.

"Sitting in class while listening to a classroom full of people in a different country has to be one of the most empowering things I've been through.  Being able to communicate and being able to see the differences and similarities in a school in California, U.S., and a school in Liuzhou, China, is amazing. I enjoyed being able to see just how small the world is, and how big we think the world is.  Talking to several different countries has broadened my horizons and has opened my mind to show me other world cultures.  This program can help people of different backgrounds interact and could close the narrow-minded gap that some people live in."

Fa-Qiang and Nick, from Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, California, both wrote to students at the Guangxi University of Technology in Liuzhou City in Guangxi, China.  I was surprised Fa-Qiang asked to write to a student in China since he is Chinese himself and this is what he shared in his final report.

Fa-Qiang:  "In this epal project we get to talk to people from all over the world and I chose to talk to someone from China.  Why?  Because I am also Chinese but I don't really know much about it so I would like to learn more about my culture.  I learned a lot of things through my epals."  He actually wrote to two students, Mengtian and Guanjing.  In his final report he shared how much he enjoyed learning about all the stories behind Chinese traditions and holidays.  This gave him more meaning to his background.  His final sentences: "I really enjoyed talking to them and getting to know the Chinese world more. They are also great people to talk with and I enjoyed this assignment very much."