Three Chinese Professors of English from Guangxi University of Technology in Liuzhou, China, are attending a special class here at RWC this quarter. The group consists of one woman, Yang Hong, and two men, Huang Jin and Wang Guoxue.The class, a comparative study of teaching in America and China, is being taught by Professor Ruth Benander of the RWC English Department. Liuzhou is a sister city with Cincinnati. The three not only hope to “improve their own English proficiency,” as Huang Jin said, but also the English proficiency of the students to whom they will be returning when this spring quarter has been completed.
The three will also be observing a variety of classes in different disciplines at RWC during their stay.
In addition to Professor Benander, Professor Mike Roos, Coordinator of the Study Abroad Program, is also guiding the three as they travel along in their academic endeavors.
Throughout the quarter, they are being housed with different host families, including part of the time with professors Benander and Roos.
When their time here has ended, Huang Jin said, they hope to have accomplished their goal, but all three will have realized the other tremendous opportunity that has been given to them: better “understanding” of the peoples of the world.
The “different ideas” of the world have to meld together, Huang Jin said, and, in order for that to occur, “more interaction” has to happen. With the help of Professor Benander and Professor Roos, the three are doing just that.