Asia Institute, East Asia Center Cosponsor Asia Workshop for Teachers

UPDATE (9/17/12): The workshop described below has been rescheduled for Dec. 8, 2012.

Educators interested in new ways to incorporate Asian studies into their teaching can attend a University of Virginia-cosponsored workshop on Sept. 15 in the Shenandoah Valley.

The workshop, cosponsored by the East Asia Center and Asia Institute in U.Va.’s College of Arts & Sciences, as well as by Blue Ridge Community College, will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the community college’s Plecker Center in Weyers Cave.

The event is targeted toward K-12 teachers of any subject, as well as professors and other instructors, said Rachel Stauffer, the Asia Institute's outreach coordinator.

“We’re hoping to convey the message that it doesn’t matter what you teach, you can integrate international thinking and international subjects into the topics,” Stauffer said.

The morning session, “Integrating Japan into the SOLs,” will feature four teachers from Virginia public school systems who participated in a February workshop designed to help teachers integrate Japanese art and culture into their lesson planning.

Afterward, the Asia Institute’s Haruko Yuda will give a presentation on Japanese culture. Yuda is the institute’s Japan outreach coordinator, and is spending two years in Charlottesville to share her knowledge of Japanese language, history and culture.

In the afternoon, Hanover County teacher Caroline Bare will present “Korea through a Teacher's Eyes,” followed by a micro-course on the Chinese language by Charlottesville teacher Sara Epperly. The day will wrap up with a panel discussion on contemporary East Asia.

Cultural materials will be given as prizes in a free raffle, and participants will receive certificates of completion, as well as additional resources for K-12 instruction.

Registration is $35. Participants should call 540-453-2215 to register.