America is quite friendly, yes, yes!' Teacher from China visits South Kent

KENT — As part of a United States-China teacher exchange program, South Kent School is hosting Iris Yao, a teacher from Guang Ming High School in Shanghai.

Until the end of March, Yao will be teaching Chinese culture and language to students at the independent boarding school.

“America is quite friendly, yes, yes!� Yao said enthusiastically of this, her first time in America. “It’s quiet here. People here are straightforward. Anytime someone passes by they say hello and are quite friendly.�

Yao said that life in Kent is much slower than her life in Shanghai.

“At home the pace was quick and there was a lot of things to do,� she said. “Here in the countryside it is much quieter, and I can relax and enjoy myself.�

As for the difference in her teaching experiences abroad and at home, she said there is much more cultural diversity at her school here in Kent.

“The students come from several different countries,� she said. “They all tell me what’s going on in their countries and they speak quite directly. It’s an experience that opens up one’s eyes and mind.�

She stressed that students at South Kent School are more apt to express their opinions and ideas openly, while students in China are very goal-oriented and focused because they are studying for their college entrance exams.

As part of the exchange program, South Kent School teachers Arthur and Mary Brown taught English language classes at Guang Ming High School from September to November.

“I think I was surprised at the similarities many of the Chinese students had to American students,� Arthur Brown said. “They were all talented and wonderful. If you assigned them something, they worked long hours on it. There were aspects of the government that were annoying to us, but we had a good time.�

Brown described Shanghai as cosmopolitan and fashionable.

“The students generally all do what they’re told,� he said. “If you assign something to them, they all worked pretty hard at it.�