Asian Invasion Exchange with PALCS

Recently our school, PA Leadership Charter School hosted 10 students and two teachers from our partner school in Hebie Province, Shijiazhuang, China. The students and teachers were here for a jammed packed week filled with unrelenting snow, activities, and plenty of warmth from our host families. I have come to the conclusion that the hosting end of the exchange is all about the host families. These videos and post are dedicated to them. After the students left to go back to China, many of the host families thanked me for talking them into providing a home for them to stay in. I do a much better job with the exchange when I keep the needs of the host families in the forefront of my priorities. :)

On Monday one of my co-teachers, Jason McLead and I picked up the students from 30th street station in Philadelphia, We met the host families in the school parking lot, and they quickly dispersed to their new homes. On Tuesday we visited West Chester University. I think the highlight of this visit was giving the students the opportunity to help teach Mandarin in a University Class. On Wednesday we escorted the students to the historic sites of Philadelphia. They visited the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross's House and Elfreth's Alley. We did some shopping in China Town and had dinner at Tai Lake Restaurant. On Thursday we were snowed in by a storm that dropped 15 inches in our area. The students spent the day helping to shovel snow, baking chocolate cookies, and dumplings instead of shadowing students at our school and participating in a ping pong tournament. On Friday we visited the Amish area of nearby Lancaster. We started off that day in culture classes, making valentines and art projects, and then tasted home made jams and did shopping at the outlets. On the weekend the host families included our students in their families for a variety of American experiences. On Monday we visited NYC which was a highlight of the trip. We came back to my house which is close to the airport, and woke early in the morning to catch their flight. I want to thank the following colleagues who made this week easier for me. Dr. James Hanak, Dr. Joyce Good, Scott Van Vooren, Kim Edwards, Julie Kaplan, Lynn Parris, Noele Huie, and Angela Owarzani.

If you would like learn more about either end of this exchange you can check out our BLOG site here. If you would like to be a host family next year, then please consider taking this short survey.

Here is an overview video of our week together

One of my students, Micah Byler made this video of our NYC trip.

In this Christmas season would you consider that there is a government that transcends the governments of this world? In this BLOG I write about education. In the post today I am writing about the real meaning of Christmas. I hesitate to write this post because I am very guarded about sharing my beliefs with my students. I recognize that my opinions are important to them, and my goal is not to indoctrinate, but to educate. This BLOG is about education. The values that I teach my students are an extension or my personal faith. Things like honesty, showing up on time, showing up early, being prepared, doing things the best they can be done, and kindness are all values that I have learned in living out my faith.

My role as an educator is different than my role as an advocate. When we advocate for a political position, the need to be objective can make our message too obscure, and more importantly irrelevant. Home schooling, Cyber education, and learning On-line have been a major part of our lives for the past thirty years. My children were all Homes schooled and cyber schooled, and this coming year I mark the milestone of our eighth grandchild. My children have flourished in the real world of work which should be the ultimate goal of education. They have flourished because of the values we advocate in our home. This is why I am such a parent advocate when I write in this BLOG. As a parent advocate my faith is at the core of my message. So today I want to wish you a Merry Christmas in the light of this faith.

Sometimes I get discouraged when I advocate for cyber education. I see that our government can drift from the moorings of values based in simple faith. Perhaps God will rise up judges to bring justice and righteousness to execute God's reign no matter how men choose to govern themselves, whether it is a tyrannical monarchy or a democracy. As Gideon defeated at least 140,000 Midianites with 300 men, so will God raise up future judges to execute his providence regardless of how men govern. Israel wanted a king. God gave them Saul. But, that was not the end of the story. In this season of Christmas, he made provision to disperse "merry gentleman" who are resting in the gift of Christ's birth, which will save us from the power of Satan, when we go astray. I aspire to be one of those merry gentlemen. I still worry about our government. I pray that God will rise up another judge to execute justice when I perceive oppression. In ancient times that took the form of a man. In modern times I know that God may also work his providence through circumstance, happenstance and other nation states. This brings me to my knees to pray for our nation and our leaders. It is not my desire that they would fail. I desire my grandchildren to have quiet and peaceful lives that they can live in godliness and honesty. But, if the government does fail, as it always does, I will find rest in the government we celebrate at Christmas. Dictators, presidents and their armies will not supersede a reign that will never perish from the earth.