I was recently invited to respond to a few questions about American life and culture so I will just post a few responses here. By way of introduction, my name is Cindee, I am twenty-four and I graduated last year from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. About five years ago, I spent a school year in France doing the same thing that Professor Wood is now doing in China.
Having taught English in France, I ran into a lot of the same questions posted on this blog from my students and found that there were many misconceptions about what life is like in the United States. Among my high school students, it was the popular belief that my life, as an American, must largely resemble that which they saw in the movies. While there are many ways that Hollywood does reflect life in America, much of the subject matter presented in American films is highly exaggerated and often beyond belief or "far-fetched". I would say that, in general, most Americans view Hollywood as an industry that relies heavily on entertaining through the use of artificial and unrealistic ideas and/or images. In other words, most Americans would likely disagree that their lives were like what they see in the movies. For example, contrary to what is often portrayed in these films, very few Americans own a gun (or have ever held one); not all Americans abuse drugs (and many have never done drugs at all); and violence, while it exists, isn't as prevalent in American schools and on American streets as is often shown in Hollywood films.
Many of my students in France imagined that America was a dangerous place where everyone owed a gun and it wasn't safe to go outside at night. In my own personal experience, both in the state where I live and in other states I have visited, I have never seen anyone besides a police officer carry a handgun and there are many places that are safe to be out at night. Obviously there are differences between life in the big cities versus the more rural areas, but in general there are many cities in the United States that have a very active nightlife that is neither threatening, nor unsafe. Many times the nightlife of a city includes what many people call "clubbing" or going to clubs to dance. Popular dance clubs will usually have multiple types of dancing from hip-hop and techno to Latin and sometimes even line dancing. Clubbing for many Americans also is a used as a venue to meet people for dating relationships.
In American dating culture, it is still predominantly the male that is responsible for taking the initiative of asking a girl on a date. Generally speaking, it is the guy who makes the plans, picks the girl up from her house, and pays for the date. However, it is becoming more and more common (and certainly acceptable by today's standards) for a girl to ask a guy out. Yet even with the modernization of societal expectations for dating in America, this is still less common. Many girls I know have at one time or another asked for a guy’s number. However, there are still other girls I know who take a firm position that it is always the man’s responsibility to do this. It is typical for a couple to date for a year or longer before getting engaged to be married, although it is not unheard of for couples to date for less time.
Weddings in America are often elaborate events that are sometimes planned up to a year in advance. Wedding ceremonies are normally conducted in front of a large audience of family and friends, usually by a religious figure. By contrast, many couples choose to be married by a judge in a courthouse where few, if any, family and/or friends are present. In traditional weddings, the bride and groom choose close family or friends to assist in what is called the "wedding party". This usually consists of a Maid of Honor, bridesmaids, a Best Man and groomsmen. These individuals are often pivotal in the planning of wedding details and their main role is to aid, advise and support the bride and groom with anything they need help with before and on the wedding day. It is common to have a reception after the wedding ceremony where the bride and groom stand and accept well-wishes from invited guests who wait in a line for their turn to congratulate a newly married couple. It is traditional in American culture to have a wedding cake with two or more tiers, which the bride and groom cut together and feed to each other. The top tier of this cake is traditionally stored and eaten on the couple's first wedding anniversary.
Many Americans have cars, especially in the Western United States where cities are farther apart or in areas that are more rural. While public transportation is heavily relied upon on the East Coast, there are fewer train systems in the West for long distance travel and buses are used for local transport, but less frequently as the majority of people own cars. There are seven people in my immediate family and everyone has their own car. This is important because almost all of us drive twenty minutes or longer to get to work. Where I live, it is common for people to drive most places they go, including work, school and to run errands or shop. In fact, many high school students also drive cars to school when they get their driver’s licenses at age sixteen. For this reason, in the Western United States most stores and places of employment have parking lots to accommodate customers/employees’ cars. Parking garages with several floors due to the lack of space or public transportation for those who don’t have cars are more frequently utilized in larger cities and more densely populated regions.
My first two years of college I chose to live at my parent's home (forty-five minutes away from the University) and commute into school five days a week. Many of my friends also lived off campus and commuted. It is not uncommon for students to arrange their schedules so they can go to work in between their classes. The last two years of school, I also worked thirty hours a week in addition to going to school full-time. This usually meant that my days were very full with classes in the mornings, work from about 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and homework once I got home. Because I was an English Major, focusing on literature and writing, all of my grades for these last two years were based on thesis-styled papers which were anywhere between three and fourteen pages in length, each. College life varies extremely for American students, but the traditional college student in America takes classes full-time, gets involved in activities and events on campus, and doesn't get a job until after graduation.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
好久不见
Ok students, I apologize for not posting much on here in such a long time. I was doing really good posting new material for a while. And then I got sick. But after I recovered I got lazy. And then I kept putting it off. But now you will be done with TEM4 soon which is good news for you and me! So I plan to update this blog consistently and frequently for the last two months we have together.
There are three things I am going to put up on this blog:
1. Words and concepts from class so you can have a resource outside of class.
2. Pictures and sources and links for your own benefit of learning western culture
3. Thoughts from Cindee
About that last one--Cindee is a friend of mine from Utah. She taught English in France for a few months. When I told her to read my blog she decided to respond to many of the questions from her own experience of teaching English and culture to French students. I am really excited about this part and I hope you enjoy reading her comments.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Help me with the pictures!
I am trying to remember everyone's name so I need everyone's help! If you could leave a comment for your class picture and tell me the names of everyone in pinyin in order from front row to back and from left and right that would be very helpful to me! I hope you like the pictures!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
College Life
Because right now all of you are in college I wanted to tell you a little bit about the differences between college in the United States and college in China. I might add more to my list later about this.
1. Strict schedule vs. free time
After talking to students here it seems that there is not a lot of free time for college students. This is quite the opposite for western students. We still have to spend a lot of time studying but when we do this studying is really up to us. The only times we have to be anywhere really is when we have class. We decide the rest of our schedule. A lot of the differences between college in China and college in western countries stems from how we spend our time.
2. Choosing classes
I chose all of my classes. Every semester I decided what classes I would take and I could choose from the classes available. At my university, and at many universities, there are two types of classes: Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes and Tuesday/Thursday classes. This means that I would take a class at 8:00-8:50AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I had a couple of semesters where I went to school just three days a week. One semester I had classes only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
3. Education Methods
It seems to me that college has a different aim in the west. In China it seems that you have strict schedules and that you focus on exams. While it is true that exams are important in classes in the west, we also write a lot of papers. Instead of focusing on memorizing, we focus on learning concepts and analyzing information. Every major is different. In my major, I did not take a single exam for the last two years of my college. I did, however, write many papers. One semester I wrote 164 pages. So even though I had more free time than you, I spent a lot of that free time researching and writing.
4. The College Experience
In addition to the “education” side of college, there is another side of college in western cultures. I call it “The College Experience”. Many students get involved in clubs. At more traditional schools there are fraternities and sororities. At my school there were political clubs, environmental clubs, ethnic clubs, religious clubs, and many others. There are always activities going on at campus such as focus weeks and fun activities. Also, college sports is a huge part of the college experience.
1. Strict schedule vs. free time
After talking to students here it seems that there is not a lot of free time for college students. This is quite the opposite for western students. We still have to spend a lot of time studying but when we do this studying is really up to us. The only times we have to be anywhere really is when we have class. We decide the rest of our schedule. A lot of the differences between college in China and college in western countries stems from how we spend our time.
2. Choosing classes
I chose all of my classes. Every semester I decided what classes I would take and I could choose from the classes available. At my university, and at many universities, there are two types of classes: Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes and Tuesday/Thursday classes. This means that I would take a class at 8:00-8:50AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I had a couple of semesters where I went to school just three days a week. One semester I had classes only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
3. Education Methods
It seems to me that college has a different aim in the west. In China it seems that you have strict schedules and that you focus on exams. While it is true that exams are important in classes in the west, we also write a lot of papers. Instead of focusing on memorizing, we focus on learning concepts and analyzing information. Every major is different. In my major, I did not take a single exam for the last two years of my college. I did, however, write many papers. One semester I wrote 164 pages. So even though I had more free time than you, I spent a lot of that free time researching and writing.
4. The College Experience
In addition to the “education” side of college, there is another side of college in western cultures. I call it “The College Experience”. Many students get involved in clubs. At more traditional schools there are fraternities and sororities. At my school there were political clubs, environmental clubs, ethnic clubs, religious clubs, and many others. There are always activities going on at campus such as focus weeks and fun activities. Also, college sports is a huge part of the college experience.
My Experience vs. Other Westerners
As I have been teaching classes and wondering about how to answer some of your questions, I have often found that it is difficult for me to answer because my experience might be very different from another westerner's experience. Understand that the United States is a very multi-cultural country and its many regions vary significantly. Life in Los Angeles is very different from life in Utah which is very different from life in the South which is very different from life on the East Coast. Yes, there are similarities. But know that culture and ethnicity vary in the United States.
Questions (and Answers)
Students, as I have mentioned before, this is my first semester teaching this class. Although the book is full of information about western countries and culture, I feel that the best way for you to learn about western culture is to ask me questions! If you have questions about western culture please ask me in class or you can write me an email and ask me to explain something in class. I have found that many of you have the same questions and if not I know that what you ask will be interesting to someone else. I will make a list for you to look at, and when you have more questions I will add those to the list. Thank you for your help!
Unit 15 Outline & Vocab
I. Intro to Canada
A. Population of 34 million, 90% of which live near Canada-USA border
B. Canada is 2nd in total area behind Russia
C. Similar to America in many ways including the way they speak
D. Official languages are English and French
E. Canadian identity can be hard to define and is changing; like many other western countries Canada is multicultural
F. Canada traces much of its institutions and identity to Great Britain
G. Become a political entity in 1867 and achieved independence in 1931
H. Longest undefended border in the world
II. The North—the Yukon and the Northwest Territories
A. Canada stretches to the arctic circle and to the north pole; this area is scarcely populated and is called “the land of the midnight sun”
B. Economy is based on oil and gas deposits
III. The West
A. Western-most province is British Columbia (BC) which is known for its mountainous landscape
B. Hydroelectric power is prominent here and logging is a huge industry
IV. The Prairies
A. This region is the breadbasket of Canada and is mostly flat prairie land
B. Wheat is grown here and many livestock are raised
V. Central Canada
A. This is the part of Canada that was first settled and includes Ontario and Quebec
B. The biggest cities in Canada (Toronto and Montreal) are in this region as well as Canada’s capital Ottawa
C. More than half of the population live in these two provinces
VI. Atlantic Region
A. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland constitute the Atlantic Region
B. Fishing is a significant part of the economy in these areas as is tourism as the scenery is spectacular
VII. Geography, History, Name
A. Geography determined the kinds of immigrants to the various parts of Canada (Irish to the Atlantic region, Scandinavian and Ukranian to the prairies, French in the South Central, and Chinese in BC)
B. Vikings arrived but did not stay about 1000 AD
C. French colonized Nova Scotia and Quebec in the early 1600s
D. The British started to venture into Canada in the 1670s
E. 1700s experienced a mix of British and French
F. Book gives several possible origins of the name Canada; sources I found all said Canada comes from Iroquois word meanings “village”
Vocab
Yukon
Northwest Territories
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Foundland
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Arctic Circle
North Pole
Land of the midnight sun
Tundra
Breadbasket
Toronto
Montreal
Inuit
Vikings
Igloo
Trapper
Beaver pelt
A. Population of 34 million, 90% of which live near Canada-USA border
B. Canada is 2nd in total area behind Russia
C. Similar to America in many ways including the way they speak
D. Official languages are English and French
E. Canadian identity can be hard to define and is changing; like many other western countries Canada is multicultural
F. Canada traces much of its institutions and identity to Great Britain
G. Become a political entity in 1867 and achieved independence in 1931
H. Longest undefended border in the world
II. The North—the Yukon and the Northwest Territories
A. Canada stretches to the arctic circle and to the north pole; this area is scarcely populated and is called “the land of the midnight sun”
B. Economy is based on oil and gas deposits
III. The West
A. Western-most province is British Columbia (BC) which is known for its mountainous landscape
B. Hydroelectric power is prominent here and logging is a huge industry
IV. The Prairies
A. This region is the breadbasket of Canada and is mostly flat prairie land
B. Wheat is grown here and many livestock are raised
V. Central Canada
A. This is the part of Canada that was first settled and includes Ontario and Quebec
B. The biggest cities in Canada (Toronto and Montreal) are in this region as well as Canada’s capital Ottawa
C. More than half of the population live in these two provinces
VI. Atlantic Region
A. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland constitute the Atlantic Region
B. Fishing is a significant part of the economy in these areas as is tourism as the scenery is spectacular
VII. Geography, History, Name
A. Geography determined the kinds of immigrants to the various parts of Canada (Irish to the Atlantic region, Scandinavian and Ukranian to the prairies, French in the South Central, and Chinese in BC)
B. Vikings arrived but did not stay about 1000 AD
C. French colonized Nova Scotia and Quebec in the early 1600s
D. The British started to venture into Canada in the 1670s
E. 1700s experienced a mix of British and French
F. Book gives several possible origins of the name Canada; sources I found all said Canada comes from Iroquois word meanings “village”
Vocab
Yukon
Northwest Territories
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Foundland
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Arctic Circle
North Pole
Land of the midnight sun
Tundra
Breadbasket
Toronto
Montreal
Inuit
Vikings
Igloo
Trapper
Beaver pelt
Monday, February 23, 2009
Good news everyone. With help from my awesome student Doris, I was able to set up QQ today on my computer. My QQ number is 1102988470 if you want to add me to your class or to your friends.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Unit 2 Vocab List
Head of State
Governor General
Parliament
Member of Parliament (MP)
Prime Minister (PM)
Opposition
Kohanga reo
Correspondence School
Agriculture
Hydro-electric power
Free trade
Trade barriers
Governor General
Parliament
Member of Parliament (MP)
Prime Minister (PM)
Opposition
Kohanga reo
Correspondence School
Agriculture
Hydro-electric power
Free trade
Trade barriers
Unit 2 Outline
I. Government
A. Governed by democratically elected parliament
B. New Zealand has no constitution but the Constitution Act of 1986 acts as one as it defines the duties of the three branches of government
C. Queen of England is symbolic head of state but Governor-General acts as the head of state
D. Single chamber parliament has 120 Members of Parliament (MPs) with six who represent Maoris
E. Elections are held every three years, 80% of people vote
F. Two main parties are the National Party (centre-right) and Labour Party (centre-left)
G. Prime Minister is the leader of the party in power, party not in power is called the Opposition
H. In 1996 New Zealand began the MMPR (mixed member proportional representation) giving each person two votes
I. Former Government Enterprises have been privatized
J. Local taxes are called “rates” which are paid by “ratepayers”
K. The three levels of local government are regional councils, territorial authorities, and Community Boards
II. Education
A. School is mandatory for children ages 6 to 16 and is also free
B. Board of trustees governs each school
C. Kohanga reo, or language nests, are schools that focus on Maori language and culture
D. Schools used to go from Junior 1-2, Standard, 1-4, and Forms 1-7 but now they use years 1-13
E. New Zealand has a distance education program for those that have special medical needs or live overseas called “the Correspondence School”
F. Students take exams in forms 3, 4, and 5 called the National Certificate of Educational Achievement
G. There are nine universities and 23 polytechnics in New Zealand
III. Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing
A. Agriculture plays a significant role in New Zealand economics accounting for 21% of exports; the government does not subsidize farming
B. Farmers raise deer, sheep, and cattle and grow kiwi-fruit, apple, pears, and many other fruits and vegetables; NZ also produces a large amount of dairy products
C. New Zealand has 50.2 million sheep, that means there are more than ten times as many sheep than people in New Zealand
D. Forests cover more than one fourth of New Zealand and forest products are exported to Australia and Asia
E. Fishing includes over 100 commercially significant species and accounts for 5% of exports
IV. Energy & Overseas Trade
A. Hydro-electric power produces 80% of the nation’s electricity
B. Geothermal steam and natural gas also contribute to energy sources but oil must be imported
C. New Zealand relies heavily on international trade and consequently relies on doing business free of trade barriers
D. Horticulture is important as NZ has pioneered new apple varieties and has developed the kiwifruit as well as other fruits not native to NZ
E. Manufacturing accounts for 25% of exports
F. 1.5 million international visitors come to NZ every year making tourism an important part of the economy
G. NZ’s four major markets are Australia, the EU, Japan, and the United States
A. Governed by democratically elected parliament
B. New Zealand has no constitution but the Constitution Act of 1986 acts as one as it defines the duties of the three branches of government
C. Queen of England is symbolic head of state but Governor-General acts as the head of state
D. Single chamber parliament has 120 Members of Parliament (MPs) with six who represent Maoris
E. Elections are held every three years, 80% of people vote
F. Two main parties are the National Party (centre-right) and Labour Party (centre-left)
G. Prime Minister is the leader of the party in power, party not in power is called the Opposition
H. In 1996 New Zealand began the MMPR (mixed member proportional representation) giving each person two votes
I. Former Government Enterprises have been privatized
J. Local taxes are called “rates” which are paid by “ratepayers”
K. The three levels of local government are regional councils, territorial authorities, and Community Boards
II. Education
A. School is mandatory for children ages 6 to 16 and is also free
B. Board of trustees governs each school
C. Kohanga reo, or language nests, are schools that focus on Maori language and culture
D. Schools used to go from Junior 1-2, Standard, 1-4, and Forms 1-7 but now they use years 1-13
E. New Zealand has a distance education program for those that have special medical needs or live overseas called “the Correspondence School”
F. Students take exams in forms 3, 4, and 5 called the National Certificate of Educational Achievement
G. There are nine universities and 23 polytechnics in New Zealand
III. Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing
A. Agriculture plays a significant role in New Zealand economics accounting for 21% of exports; the government does not subsidize farming
B. Farmers raise deer, sheep, and cattle and grow kiwi-fruit, apple, pears, and many other fruits and vegetables; NZ also produces a large amount of dairy products
C. New Zealand has 50.2 million sheep, that means there are more than ten times as many sheep than people in New Zealand
D. Forests cover more than one fourth of New Zealand and forest products are exported to Australia and Asia
E. Fishing includes over 100 commercially significant species and accounts for 5% of exports
IV. Energy & Overseas Trade
A. Hydro-electric power produces 80% of the nation’s electricity
B. Geothermal steam and natural gas also contribute to energy sources but oil must be imported
C. New Zealand relies heavily on international trade and consequently relies on doing business free of trade barriers
D. Horticulture is important as NZ has pioneered new apple varieties and has developed the kiwifruit as well as other fruits not native to NZ
E. Manufacturing accounts for 25% of exports
F. 1.5 million international visitors come to NZ every year making tourism an important part of the economy
G. NZ’s four major markets are Australia, the EU, Japan, and the United States
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
English/Chinese Sessions
If any of you are interested in doing one on one English I would be willing to meet with you for an hour. The meeting would be a trade: this means I would speak English with you for a full half hour or go over anything you want in English, and the second half hour you would be helping me learn Chinese! I am not sure how much time I will devote to this but I do want to learn Chinese while I am here. So let me know if you are interested. I don't know how much time I will have and if we do one session it does not guarantee that I will do more sessions. I want to test the waters. My friend Mike might also be interested, but you will have to ask him about it. One last thing, if you know of any fun activities going on in Huai Hua make sure to tell me! I want to experience Huai Hua to the fullest! You can be me eyes and ears and let me know what is going on. Thanks students!
Vocab List
So I am toying with the idea of making a vocabulary list of keywords to remember about New Zealand. Here is the initial list I came up from unit 1. I might add a separate vocab list of useful English words we learn from unit 1. Let me know what you think of this list in class. Also, let me know what you think about my blog in class. You can tell me what you think of the class, activities or lessons you think might be helpful, things I should explain better, pictures you think I should put on the blog, or if you think this blog is useful or whether or not you think you will use this blog. Let me know in class! Thanks!
Unit 1 Keywords to remember
Aotearoa
Maori
Cook Strait
Stewart Island
Southern Alps
Mt. Cook
Auckland
Wellington
Moderate climate
Isolated
Kiwi
Moa
Maoritanga
Haka
All Blacks
Milford Sound
Unit 1 Keywords to remember
Aotearoa
Maori
Cook Strait
Stewart Island
Southern Alps
Mt. Cook
Auckland
Wellington
Moderate climate
Isolated
Kiwi
Moa
Maoritanga
Haka
All Blacks
Milford Sound
Unit 1 Outline
Unit 1 Outline New Zealand
I. Geography
A. 1600 Kilometers North to South
B. Native name is “Aotearoa” meaning “land of the long white cloud”
C. Cook Straight, Stewart Island
D. 2000 Kilometers away from Australia
E. Similar in size to Japan or British Isles
F. Formed by volcanoes
G. Southern Alps run along the entire South Island
H. Mt. Cook is the tallest mountain at 3754 meters high
I. Midway between equator and South Pole
J. Auckland is the largest city
K. Wellington is the capital, most southern national capital in the world
II. Climate, Land & Environment
A. Maritime Climate
B. Surrounded by sea, creates moderate temperatures
C. West coast has very high annual rain fall
D. Seasons are opposite to northern hemisphere
E. Isolation allowed for unique fauna and flora, plants and animals
F. Many native birds, plants, insects, spiders, snails, and earthworms
G. Very few mammals, natural predators for birds, many species of flightless birds evolved (including Kiwi, Moa, Kakapo)
H. The Kiwi is a national symbol so people from New Zealand are called “Kiwis”
I. Introduction of ferrets and other mammals killed many of these birds, causing some to go extinct and others to become endangered species
J. New Zealand is very conscious of environmental issues
III. The New Zealanders
A. Population in 2008 was 4.2 million
B. Lightly populated (compare Japan’s population of 127 mil and United Kingdom’s population of 61 million in about same area)
C. 85% of New Zealanders live in cities, three quarters live on the North Island
D. One quarter of population lives in Auckland, has some 200,000 Polynesians making it the largest Polynesian city in the world
E. 80% of New Zealanders claim European ancestry (Germany, Britain, Netherlands, and others) and 15% are Maori, 5% are Polynesian
F. Other ethnic groups include Chinese and Indian as well as many countries across the globe
G. Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs helps Polynesian and Maori peoples participate in education, employment, health and in the public sphere
H. Christianity is dominant religion (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic) but other world religions also represented
I. In 1893 was first country to allow women to vote
J. Standard of living comparable to Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States
IV. Maoritanga
A. The Maoris are the native or indigenous people of New Zealand
B. Maoritanga is the name of the “Maori Culture”
C. Many have adopted western way of life but keep many Maori traditions as well including their oral traditions and history, language not written down until the 1700s
D. Ranginui, sky father, and Papatuanuku, earth mother, had son named Tane who created the bush, living creatures, and the first woman
E. Story of Maui who sailed far south, caught a monstrous fish which became the north island, and his canoe become the south island
F. Tribal lands and kinship still very important in Maori society
G. 80% of Maori live in urban areas, but some still live in tribal areas
H. The Haka is a well-known war dance that used to be performed prior to a battle to scare the enemy as well as prepare the warrior for battle, now it is performed by the All Blacks rugby team before games
I. Treaty of Waitangi helped to resolve land conflicts between Europeans and Maoris
J. Maoris moved to cities after WWII and the youth in 1970s started a Maori “protest movement” bringing the Waitangi Tribunal to settle disputes
K. Since 1970s Maori language revitalized with some schools implementing “total immersion” policies
V. History
A. Settled 1,000 years ago by Voyagers from East Polynesia
B. The Maori’s rich culture was passed down through oral tradition
C. Maori language finally written down in the 19th century
D. The Dutch were the first Europeans to arrive in 1642
E. English Captain James Cook reached NZ in 1769 but the British did not start settling much until the 1840s
F. There were several gold rushes in the 1860s
VI. Other Facts and Random Info
A. There are more sheep than people in New Zealand
B. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was filmed in New Zealand by Peter Jackson, a Kiwi
I. Geography
A. 1600 Kilometers North to South
B. Native name is “Aotearoa” meaning “land of the long white cloud”
C. Cook Straight, Stewart Island
D. 2000 Kilometers away from Australia
E. Similar in size to Japan or British Isles
F. Formed by volcanoes
G. Southern Alps run along the entire South Island
H. Mt. Cook is the tallest mountain at 3754 meters high
I. Midway between equator and South Pole
J. Auckland is the largest city
K. Wellington is the capital, most southern national capital in the world
II. Climate, Land & Environment
A. Maritime Climate
B. Surrounded by sea, creates moderate temperatures
C. West coast has very high annual rain fall
D. Seasons are opposite to northern hemisphere
E. Isolation allowed for unique fauna and flora, plants and animals
F. Many native birds, plants, insects, spiders, snails, and earthworms
G. Very few mammals, natural predators for birds, many species of flightless birds evolved (including Kiwi, Moa, Kakapo)
H. The Kiwi is a national symbol so people from New Zealand are called “Kiwis”
I. Introduction of ferrets and other mammals killed many of these birds, causing some to go extinct and others to become endangered species
J. New Zealand is very conscious of environmental issues
III. The New Zealanders
A. Population in 2008 was 4.2 million
B. Lightly populated (compare Japan’s population of 127 mil and United Kingdom’s population of 61 million in about same area)
C. 85% of New Zealanders live in cities, three quarters live on the North Island
D. One quarter of population lives in Auckland, has some 200,000 Polynesians making it the largest Polynesian city in the world
E. 80% of New Zealanders claim European ancestry (Germany, Britain, Netherlands, and others) and 15% are Maori, 5% are Polynesian
F. Other ethnic groups include Chinese and Indian as well as many countries across the globe
G. Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs helps Polynesian and Maori peoples participate in education, employment, health and in the public sphere
H. Christianity is dominant religion (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic) but other world religions also represented
I. In 1893 was first country to allow women to vote
J. Standard of living comparable to Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States
IV. Maoritanga
A. The Maoris are the native or indigenous people of New Zealand
B. Maoritanga is the name of the “Maori Culture”
C. Many have adopted western way of life but keep many Maori traditions as well including their oral traditions and history, language not written down until the 1700s
D. Ranginui, sky father, and Papatuanuku, earth mother, had son named Tane who created the bush, living creatures, and the first woman
E. Story of Maui who sailed far south, caught a monstrous fish which became the north island, and his canoe become the south island
F. Tribal lands and kinship still very important in Maori society
G. 80% of Maori live in urban areas, but some still live in tribal areas
H. The Haka is a well-known war dance that used to be performed prior to a battle to scare the enemy as well as prepare the warrior for battle, now it is performed by the All Blacks rugby team before games
I. Treaty of Waitangi helped to resolve land conflicts between Europeans and Maoris
J. Maoris moved to cities after WWII and the youth in 1970s started a Maori “protest movement” bringing the Waitangi Tribunal to settle disputes
K. Since 1970s Maori language revitalized with some schools implementing “total immersion” policies
V. History
A. Settled 1,000 years ago by Voyagers from East Polynesia
B. The Maori’s rich culture was passed down through oral tradition
C. Maori language finally written down in the 19th century
D. The Dutch were the first Europeans to arrive in 1642
E. English Captain James Cook reached NZ in 1769 but the British did not start settling much until the 1840s
F. There were several gold rushes in the 1860s
VI. Other Facts and Random Info
A. There are more sheep than people in New Zealand
B. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was filmed in New Zealand by Peter Jackson, a Kiwi
Pictures of New Zealand
Milford Sound
Mt. Cook, the tallest Mountain in New Zealand at 3754 meters high
Here is a map of New Zealand
Here is how a person would look standing next to a Moa! Moas were as tall as 3.7 meters and could weigh as much as 230 kg. They were BIG birds!
Here is a picture of the beautiful Milford Sound of the south island
The Kiwi, a national symbol
The Syllabus
Syllabus
The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries
Spring 2009
Mr. Sean Wood
I. Introduction of class
The Title of this class is “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries”. I was instructed to use the book as the content of my class. As this is my first semester teaching this class I might have to adjust some things as we go along as I get a feel for how much my classes understand the material. The textbook is required for the class. If you don’t have the textbook, get one. The book is pretty straightforward and I expect every student to read the chapter we will be discussing before arriving to class. As part of your exposure to western culture this class may include some things that are different from your usual classes here in China. These differences may include myself (yes, I am different than your usual teachers), oral presentations (this is very common in western education), class discussions that will require your participation, being aware of current events, and possible outside research. Naturally, the class will involve some comparative discussions involving Chinese Culture and Western Culture. It is important that we keep our comments respectful and objective.
II. Schedule
As this is my first semester at Huai Hua College, or at any College in China for that matter, I am not accustomed to the semester schedule yet. This is my “tentative” schedule for the semester but it is subject to change. But no matter what unforeseeable obstacles we might run into during the semester, this is the order in which we will proceed. As you can see, week 2 and 3 we will spend time on New Zealand. Weeks 4, 5, and 6 we will cover two units a week each on Canada. From there we will spend the rest of the semester on the United States.
Week 2 Intro to class & Begin on New Zealand
Week 3 New Zealand
Week 4 The Country and Its People & The Government and Politics of Canada
Week 5 The Canadian Mosaic & The Canadian Economy
Week 6 Canadian Literature & Canada’s International Relations
Week 7 American Beginnings
Week 8 The Political System in the United States
Week 9 American Economy
Week 10 Religion in the United States
Week 11 American Literature
Week 12 Education in the United States
Week 13 Social Movements of the 1960s & Social Problems in the United States
Week 14 Technology in America
Week 15 Post-WWII American Foreign Policy
Week 16 Sports and Scenic Spots in the United States & American Music
Week 17 Review for Final Exam
III. Class Rules
It is important to know the class rules at the beginning of the semester so that we will know how to conduct ourselves and so we can maximize our learning experience. These are the rules I have established. We may add more rules as we go through the semester.
Participate! Ask questions! Make comments!
Be on time
Be prepared (bring pen, notebook, and text book
Be ready to discuss the class material (this means read the chapter before class)
Raise hand to make comments, ask questions, or answer questions
Be Respectful of teacher, classmates, and classroom
Be Respectful of others’ opinions
No cell phones or earphones
IV. Grading
As you can see below, exams comprise half of the complete grading score. As you can also see participation is also very important. One can learn much from class discussions.
Final Exam 30%
Mid Term Exam 20%
Participation 20%
Oral Presentation 15%
Homework 15%
(Reading and Current Events)
V. Final Note
I am so excited to be here at Huai Hua College. I hope our experience here together will help us to better understand each other and each other’s culture. If you put forth the effort I am certain that you will not only learn a lot from this class but that this class will leave an impression that will help you in many aspects throughout your life. I look forward to working with you.
The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries
Spring 2009
Mr. Sean Wood
I. Introduction of class
The Title of this class is “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries”. I was instructed to use the book as the content of my class. As this is my first semester teaching this class I might have to adjust some things as we go along as I get a feel for how much my classes understand the material. The textbook is required for the class. If you don’t have the textbook, get one. The book is pretty straightforward and I expect every student to read the chapter we will be discussing before arriving to class. As part of your exposure to western culture this class may include some things that are different from your usual classes here in China. These differences may include myself (yes, I am different than your usual teachers), oral presentations (this is very common in western education), class discussions that will require your participation, being aware of current events, and possible outside research. Naturally, the class will involve some comparative discussions involving Chinese Culture and Western Culture. It is important that we keep our comments respectful and objective.
II. Schedule
As this is my first semester at Huai Hua College, or at any College in China for that matter, I am not accustomed to the semester schedule yet. This is my “tentative” schedule for the semester but it is subject to change. But no matter what unforeseeable obstacles we might run into during the semester, this is the order in which we will proceed. As you can see, week 2 and 3 we will spend time on New Zealand. Weeks 4, 5, and 6 we will cover two units a week each on Canada. From there we will spend the rest of the semester on the United States.
Week 2 Intro to class & Begin on New Zealand
Week 3 New Zealand
Week 4 The Country and Its People & The Government and Politics of Canada
Week 5 The Canadian Mosaic & The Canadian Economy
Week 6 Canadian Literature & Canada’s International Relations
Week 7 American Beginnings
Week 8 The Political System in the United States
Week 9 American Economy
Week 10 Religion in the United States
Week 11 American Literature
Week 12 Education in the United States
Week 13 Social Movements of the 1960s & Social Problems in the United States
Week 14 Technology in America
Week 15 Post-WWII American Foreign Policy
Week 16 Sports and Scenic Spots in the United States & American Music
Week 17 Review for Final Exam
III. Class Rules
It is important to know the class rules at the beginning of the semester so that we will know how to conduct ourselves and so we can maximize our learning experience. These are the rules I have established. We may add more rules as we go through the semester.
Participate! Ask questions! Make comments!
Be on time
Be prepared (bring pen, notebook, and text book
Be ready to discuss the class material (this means read the chapter before class)
Raise hand to make comments, ask questions, or answer questions
Be Respectful of teacher, classmates, and classroom
Be Respectful of others’ opinions
No cell phones or earphones
IV. Grading
As you can see below, exams comprise half of the complete grading score. As you can also see participation is also very important. One can learn much from class discussions.
Final Exam 30%
Mid Term Exam 20%
Participation 20%
Oral Presentation 15%
Homework 15%
(Reading and Current Events)
V. Final Note
I am so excited to be here at Huai Hua College. I hope our experience here together will help us to better understand each other and each other’s culture. If you put forth the effort I am certain that you will not only learn a lot from this class but that this class will leave an impression that will help you in many aspects throughout your life. I look forward to working with you.
The Haka
If I didn't show you in class, go to youtube and enter "haka". The first few hits are usually pretty good. They are videos of the All Blacks performing the haka before a game.
Here are a few links to these videos on "Youtube"
Here are a few links to these videos on "Youtube"
Opening Comment
Hello students! I finally created a blog for our class! I hope we can use it as a way to learn about western cultures. This blogging stuff and websites is still very new to me so you will have to be patient with me! Let me know what you think of the blog!
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