The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Office of Teacher Quality (OTQ) is pleased to announce that the process has begun for the selection of five (5) additional teachers from China to teach Mandarin Chinese in five Arkansas Public Schools for the 2009-2010 school year. The ADE’s Office of Teacher Quality will again partner with the University of Central Arkansas' (UCA's) Confucius Institute to assist the Hanban Chinese teachers in the teacher licensure process through Arkansas’ Non-Traditional Licensure Program (NTLP).
ADE staff and Dr. Wu from UCA interviewed via webcam fourteen (14) Mandarin Chinese teacher candidates earlier this month. The Department will be selecting five teacher candidates who are the most articulate in speaking English, demonstrate skills in conversational English, demonstrate leadership skills, have the disposition to reachout to a new culture, and reveal an understanding of the English language. The interview also included an assessment of knowledge in pedagogy, classroom management and the desire to be in an Arkansas school teaching Arkansas students for two (2) years. All of the candidates will have experience teaching Mandarin Chinese as a second language as well as holding a Masters Degree in the teaching of Mandarin Chinese from East China Normal University in Shanghai.
In January 2009 the Department will convene a meeting of all school districts interested in this program. At this meeting details of the program will be discussed and representatives from the districts currently employing Chinese teachers from this program will also be invited to share experiences in the related topics.
If a school district would be interested in hiring one of the Mandarin Chinese teachers for the 2009-2010 school year, please submit a letter of interest on district letterhead and mail to Barbara Culpepper, Office of Teacher Quality, 501 Woodlane Street, Suite 220-C, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.
Any questions should be directed to Ms. Culpepper at 501-682-4311 or Barbara.Culpepper@arkansas.gov.