EngageAsia directed a summer 2021 virtual program on Japanese craftsmanship for K-12 Teachers.

Building on its 2018 Taiwan Teacher Fellows Program, EngageAsia conducted a 2019 program that brought a small cohort of select Taiwanese teachers to the United States.

The program helped deepen understanding between Taiwanese and American teachers as well as exposed them to cutting-edge teaching methodologies designed to improve their classroom teaching.

Methodologically, the 2019 Taiwan-US teacher Fellows Program focused on integrating art into science and technology through the methodology of project-based learning and Design Thinking. Through a program that usedNew York City as a laboratory, participants learned about the diverse culture of the city while also engaging in a deep understanding of the way in which art can be benefit and inform STEM related subjects.

Much has been proclaimed about the need for more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related activities in our schools. The logic is simple: the wave of future economic prosperity lies in a workforce that is well-versed in rising job markets in these fields.

STEMʼs weakness, however, is that creativity and innovation are often missing and these skills are essential to the ability of students to apply their knowledge in real-life situations that benefit society. STEM alone does not foster the essential nutrients of creation and ingenuity, which can only happen through application of lessons learned.

By adding art into STEM subject matter, it allows students of science, technology, engineering and math to integrate ideas through the arts. This transforms STEM to STEAM to the next level: it allows students to connect their learning in these critical areas together with arts practices, elements, design principals, and standards to provide the whole pallet of learning at their disposal. STEAM removes limitations and replaces it with wonder, critique, inquiry, and innovation.

The 2019 program consisted of a cultural research “Melting Pot Project” as well as professional development “STEAM workshops” in New York City for approximately two weeks in the summer of 2019.

The American and Taiwanese teachers engaged in the Melting Pot Project will experience the project-based learning (PBL) method through pre-trip research program planning, during the trip, as well as via post-trip sessions and special workshops.

For EngageAsia, we believe art is a way of thinking, a state of mind, and the way we plan to help teachers understand how art can link to STEM is through neuro-scientific approaches. The teachers will create experimental STEAM curriculum based on their teaching subjects. Design Thinking methodology will lead teachers from pre-trip inquiry to post-trip implementation plans.

Two US teachers and nine Taiwanese teachers, who will collectively impact over 1,000 students over the next academic year, took part in EngageAsiaʼs 2018 US-Taiwan Teachers Fellows Program.

The two teachers selected as the first EngageAsia Fellows were Aimee Ferguson, 3rd Grade Teacher, Jefferson Elementary School, New Rochelle, NY and Tania Riccoboni, Middle School Art Teacher, North Rockland Central School District. Nine Taiwanese teachers were selected to engage with the American teachers in a Design Thinking workshop that was held in Taipei.

The program had five parts, pre-departure research, an Individual Cultural Research program in Kaohsiung, a Design Thinking workshop in Taipei, multimedia curricula development, and classroom implementation. Both US teachers engaged in extensive pre-trip research to learn generally about Taiwan and also to select specific research topics. During their time in Kaohsiung, EngageAsia developed tailor-made agendas for each teacher to help them learn deeply about the research topic they chose to investigate. In Taipei, both US teachers engaged in an intensive Design Thinking workshop and cultural activities with Taiwanese teachers to form relationships.

Post-trip, teachers began working on curricular development so that lessons learned in Taiwan could be shared with students. Both US teachers presented at a workshop hosted by Global Kids in NYC on October 25 and engaged in a curriculum and video editing workshop in December at Mercy College. Teachers will work on their curriculum throughout the winter and spring of 2019 and also be engaged in preparing for the summer 2019 Taiwan-US Teacher Fellows Program.

Photos from our 2018 Program:

EngageAsia runs the Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award, which originated at the United States-Japan Foundation. The Award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. Learn more via the link below.