Established in 1996, Teach China is a comprehensive professional development program offered by China Institute providing K-12 educators a wealth of opportunities to enhance their knowledge of China, past and present.

Teach China covers a wide variety of topics relevant to all K-12 teachers and is consistent with national, state and local curricula including the National Standards for History, National Standards for Geography and the New York State Social Studies Standards. Through Teach China, K-12 teachers across the United States have a unique opportunity to participate in professional development courses taught by experts in the field, gain access to high quality curriculum materials, and travel to China on guided study tours. Participants and alumni of the program are also provided with the opportunity to leave their own mark by developing curriculum materials for Teach China. In addition to the excellent professional development opportunities provided on a day-to-day basis, the program offers a rich networking opportunity for teachers interested in interacting with other like-minded educators and experts who share a common vision of the need to provide today's students with the kind of global education critical for success in the 21st Century.

Educators who participate in Teach China view Chinese history and culture through the multidisciplinary perspective of the social sciences, geography, religion and thought, literature, the visual arts, politics, the environment, film, popular culture, and other areas of interest to all grade levels. Enriched by this knowledge, these educators can strengthen their students' cultural sensitivity, transporting them from the known and familiar to the unknown and unfamiliar, exciting their interest by exploring daily life and cultural change in the world's oldest continuously existing society.

Our focus is not only China-specific themes, but also China's relations with the world community: China's role in cultural exchange and cultural diffusion is as old as the fabled Silk Roads and as new as the "Made in China" labels seen everywhere today.

The program is made possible through the generosity of the Freeman Foundation with additional support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the United States Department of Education, and other private and public foundations.

Courses  |   Workshops & Events  |   Study Tour Opportunities