Improve Quality of Teaching in Rural China

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Project Need: $35,000

Funding
to Date:

$23,401 (%)
As of Feb 09 02:57 2012

Theme: Education

Country: China [View country profile]

Sponsor: Center for Global Engagement, Northwestern Univ

Project Information

Project duration: Ongoing

Project's area of focus: Rural Education

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

80% of rural Chinese students drop out during or after middle school, often due to rigid teaching methods that fail to prepare them for life. Rural schools suffer from shortages of motivated, qualified teachers. We support schools with principals and teachers who are strongly motivated to reform. We give them year-round support and training to experiment with student-centered curriculum and teaching approaches that connect schooling to life and the real world needs of rural students.

Activities

Program staff work in rural primary schools in Shanxi Province by partnering with teachers to implement whole school reforms. We offer year-round professional development and disseminate publications that share best practices with others.

Expected Outcomes

The fate of rural children is critical to China's future. Providing quality education could mean the difference between millions growing up in a cycle of poverty and exploitation and a new generation of capable citizens who help solve these problems.

Project Message

Before RCEF, I didn't know there are so many people out there who care about rural schools. I am very happy that I got in contact with you. You gave me new motivation and ideas to improve teaching.
- Zhang Haitao, Principal, Dayang Primary School

Project Contact

Diane Geng,
Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director
PO Box 92424
Rochester, New York 14692-0424
United States
8613718019332

Resources

Organization's Overview


Rural China Education Foundation PO Box 92424 RochesterNY14692-0424 United States 585-672-4938 Organization's Homepage

Organization's Mission

Our mission is to promote education in rural China that empowers students to improve their lives and their communities. We believe rural students should develop skills and confidence from their education that will help them deal with real world problems, deepen their understanding of social issues, and prepare them to improve their environments. Our strategy is to accumulate and share practice-based expertise on curriculum and teaching methods that meets these goals.

Organization's Programs

Integrative Rural Education Program: Supports full-time rural teachers to develop effective curricula and teaching methods for the rural context in China.

Organization's Current Projects on GlobalGiving

Improve Quality of Teaching in Rural China

Organization Statistics		Financial Statistics
Diane Geng, Executive Director Founded in 2005 Employees: 11 Volunteers: 10		Other funding sources: Ping & Amy Chao Foundation, Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation, Echoing Green, Tiger Woods Foundation, Global Fund for Children, Aixin Foundation, Proliteracy Worldwide, Do Something, Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Social Entrepeneurship Fund Religious Affiliation: none

Personnel Overview

Diane Geng - Executive Director

Diane Geng researched education in China as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences from 2004-2005. She has experience in journalism, including working for PBS' Wide Angle and working at National Public Radio (NPR) as the part of the first class of Kroc Fellows from 2005-2006.

Sara Lam - Research & Development Director

Sara Lam researched rural education and collaborated with various non-governmental organizations on rural education projects as a 2004-2005 Third Millennium Foundation Fellow. She has experience working at the Migrant Workers' Center for Education and Action Research in Beijing and at the Yinjialin Community School developing curriculum and coordinating teaching for community education.

Wei Ji Ma - Chairman of the Board

Wei Ji Ma is a Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, USA. He grew up in the Netherlands, where his grandparents migrated in the 1920s. His active involvement with rural education in China started with a two-month study trip in 2004 on an Avery Foundation fellowship.