Brian Messenger
Andover's first step toward a student and teacher exchange program with China was taken last week when Beijing Principal Biao Wang toured the school system.
Wang, who was given a key to the town by selectmen and named an honorary principal by the School Committee, had both an enjoyable and enlightening visit, said Andover Superintendent Claudia Bach.
Wang is the principal of the Beijing Dongfang Decai School, made up of elementary, middle and high school students.
"This school system really turned out for him, and the Chinese community did too," said Bach, who will spend a week with Wang in China this April. "Everywhere there were banners, everywhere there was a greeting."
With Andover parents and grandparents of Chinese students and the Andover students serving as translators, Wang visited with eight Andover principals, interacted with students of all ages, and spent hours discussing U.S.-Chinese relations with high school students and Principal Peter Anderson.
"His visit created a level of excitement," said School Committee member Deb Silberstein. "It elevated discussion about global education and exchanges with other countries and I think overall was very positive. I'm looking forward to the superintendent's visit in April and the ongoing exchange with his school."
Bach said she knows Andover students will need to know a basic level of the Chinese language before spending any time in the country. She hopes to determine more precisely what that level is during her visit with Wang this spring.
"I think I will be a little surprised that (Chinese) students are probably becoming a little more like American students, because of the enormous changes that country is going through | more affluence. I will probably see evidence of that," said Bach. "As soon as I get back, I want to have meetings with students and teachers who would be interested in exploring (an exchange program)."
Bach said she expected Wang to be more formal, but he was very candid with Andover's students throughout the visit.
"He was wonderful with children," said Bach. "He really noticed how happy our children seemed. ... Obviously, our structure is much more free. He was surprised how hard everyone worked over here."
With six assistant principals working for Wang at the Beijing Dongfang Decai School, Bach said she anticipates there will be less interaction between Chinese school administrators and both teachers and students.
"I think I'll be surprised by how many administrators he has," she said. "I think I'll probably feel a little bit of a divide."
Members of the School Committee felt strongly about the importance of establishing an exchange program with China.
"I think it's very important to the board as we try to look beyond just the regional and national environment that we're in," said School Committee Chairman Arthur Barber. "We find ourselves in a global economy, and we intend to ensure that when students go through the Andover school system that they're competitive."
Silberstein said comparing educational performance between countries is just as valuable as comparing it between local or regional communities, as is common practice among American administrators.
"I think it's critical for enhancing the type of education our students need to succeed in a global economy," she said of a Chinese exchange program. "I think every school district in the country should be doing this."
