Each year, TCLP is so grateful to have an amazing group of teachers working in US schools, but the program does not end there. TCLP alumni return home to share their new teaching techniques and methods and they often stay in touch with one another over the years. TCLP wants to encourage colleagues to continue to work together for enhancing their own professional development and building bonds with one another. Vital to this effort are the alumni cohort leaders, who help improve communication between TCLP alumni and staff in Washington, DC by reaching out to their cohort for updates. Alumni cohort leaders are a key link to past participants; they assist in gathering updates from alumni from their program year.
The alumni cohort leaders have already collected so many alumni accomplishments, milestones, and stories and shared them with TCLP staff. Joining them in their efforts this year will be two new alumni. TCLP is pleased to announce Zheng Qiuping and Mohamed Abouraya as the new alumni cohort leaders for the 2014-2015 China and Egypt groups respectively.
Zheng Qiuping is from Guangdong province and was hosted by Lakes International Language Academy in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Ms. Zheng taught Mandarin language classes for 300 students. She designed the Mandarin curriculum mostly around speaking and listening, with age appropriate songs and activities to keep her young students engaged. She generously shared her skills in calligraphy and paper cutting with parents and students alike. Ms. Zheng also was active in outreach and many in her host community will remember the tasty dumplings that she made as part of the Chinese New Year celebration.
Mohamed Abouraya is from Damietta, Egypt and was hosted by Columbus North International School in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Abouraya was integral in establishing the Arabic program at the school. He developed an Arabic I, II and III curriculum that focuses on speaking listening, reading, and writing skills and incorporated information and activities related to Egyptian culture and history. He engaged in cross-curricular teaching with Social Studies and World Language classes that exposed students outside of his regular classes to Egyptian language and culture. He also conducted numerous outreach activities in his school, district, and community.
TCLP alumni are essential to the growth of the program and the impact it has in the U.S., Egypt and China. This year Ms. Zheng and Mr. Abouraya will join the cohort leaders in helping to shine a spotlight on the impact their fellow alumni are having in their communities and abroad.