Port Jervis middle schoolers recently had a chance to learn how to write traditional Chinese characters with an ink brush as part of school activities during National Foreign Languages Week.
New Century, a Deerpark-based community partner of the school district, sponsored the calligraphy classes.
“I like how all the words are like images that can be read,” eighth grader Sam Ayensu told The Epoch Times after practicing writing Chinese characters, such as those meaning “human” and “sun,” at such a class on March 5.
“Writing the figures is very fun, and getting to know the meanings all behind it is very nice,” another eighth grader, Jackie Lynch, said after learning that the first syllable of her name can be phonetically translated into a Chinese character that means “purity.”
During the classes, New Century community liaison Jin Pang also touched on the history and culture behind Chinese calligraphy, along with associated traditional values.
“People in ancient China believed that you needed to keep your body straight and your heart righteous before you could write beautiful Chinese characters,” she told the students during a class.
Port Jervis Middle School Spanish language teacher Carmen Medina said that all school activities during Foreign Languages Week were designed to promote the learning of new languages and encourage students of different backgrounds to share their cultural heritage.
“Yes, we are all American, but our ancestors all came from different countries,” she told The Epoch Times.
“It gives our students a chance to reflect on their own cultures and share that with other students,” French language teacher Austin Wilson said, “because they don’t necessarily always have an avenue or an opportunity to talk about themselves and where their families come from.”
He said that one of his students is of Chinese descent and enjoyed practicing characters that she knew during the calligraphy class.
During the Foreign Languages Week between March 3 and 9, a different language was featured daily during the school announcements, students were encouraged to talk about their cultural backgrounds during French and Spanish classes, and a friendship-themed bracelet design program was launched.
“The message for this year was that ‘foreign languages create friendship,’” Ms. Medina said. “Students have to think of a culture or a country that they were inspired by in designing the bracelets.”
“As educators, we are responsible for preparing our students to go out into a diverse world,” said Port Jervis Middle School Principal Eileen Cook. “Being able to not only hear about different cultures but to partake in hands-on activities helps our students develop a sense of belonging, empathy, and respect.”
Mr. Wilson said that in an upcoming multicultural night in May organized by the Port Jervis School District, students will create boards that reflect their own cultures to share with the community members.
Besides the Chinese calligraphy classes, New Century also sponsored Chinese culture-themed sensory sessions for special needs students as well as interactive dragon and lion dances for elementary students at the Port Jervis school district during the Chinese New Year holiday.
