Freeman Foundation Grant Awarded to International Education Consortium (IEC)
Grant provides continued support for China in Missouri program
The International Education Consortium (IEC), a program of the Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis, Inc. (CSD), has received a $350,000 renewed grant from The Freeman Foundation, which will fund the China in Missouri program for two years.
The China in Missouri program is a long-term, in-depth professional development opportunity for teachers and is focused on two goals: expanding teachers’ knowledge of China and increasing their ability to engage their students in the kind of learning that supports achievement. Since 2000, more than 150 St. Louis-area teachers have participated and benefited from the opportunity provided by the International Education Consortium to travel to China to experience firsthand what they have been studying.
Teachers study the history and culture of China throughout the spring semester with Professor Robert Hegel of Washington University and other scholars. They then travel in China for three weeks, beginning with a week’s residence at Beijing University, China’s premier educational institution. During the following school year they develop ways to enhance their own classroom teaching and to share their new expertise with colleague.
Teachers in China in Missouri 2008 will leave for China on June 18. Recruitment for China 2009 will begin in late August.
Additional information is available from Sheila Onuska, Project Director, IEC/CSD, at: sonuska@csd.org.
