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(July 13, 2011) This summer, two professors from the School of Education at North Georgia College & State University spent several weeks teaching education students at Liaocheng University in China as part of the continuing partnership between the two universities.

Both Dr. Alyssa Barnes and Dr. Amy R. Williams are in teacher education; Williams specializes in early childhood and special education.

The Liaocheng class, which contained both undergraduate and graduate students, covered various topics of classroom management including teaching philosophies, classroom rules, learning styles and the role of a teacher.

The two found many differences in the ways American and Chinese classrooms are managed.

While reading aloud is common in American classrooms, from primary school through graduate studies, it isn't common in Chinese classrooms.

"In the early childhood/special education program, it often is second nature for faculty to pick up a children's book to illustrate a concept or model a process to pre-service teachers," Williams said. "After we explained how books are used in American classrooms, the students embraced the idea and eagerly explored ways to model classroom management through children's literature."

Overall, many of the Liaocheng students felt American students have little structure and "much freedom in class," Williams said. She and Barnes shared ways to manage classrooms without restricting students, including group activities and learning centers.

Understanding the different ways in which all children learn also is important, and the two covered this topic with a group activity by asking the Liaocheng students to create a set of classroom rules and use various ways to explain them.

In addition to the classroom discussions, Barnes and Williams also had the chance to take their students into Chinese classrooms. One trip involved an art project promoting international friendship, "Let's Hold Hands," in which children make paper dolls of themselves to exchange with other children around the world.

"The kids were so excited," Williams said. "It was clear that the students had minimal, if any, opportunities to complete projects like this. Yet, for me, as a former special education teacher, it's second nature to do this sort of thing with students."

The two left art materials for their Liaocheng students to return to the deaf school and complete the paper doll project.

Like the sign language challenge, Williams found the experience tough, but rewarding.

"At the end of our time at Liaocheng, a student commented, 'It is good to learn from each other (in order) to do better,'" Williams said. "Without knowing, she summarized the goal of our course, as well as the university's international initiative."