01/29/2025
Asia for Educators Featured Resource
Friday, April 4, 5:00pm - 8:30pm (ET) and Saturday, April 5, 8:00am - 4:30pm (ET): FREE online mini-course for K-12 educators on “Poppies, Power, and Profit: the O***m Wars and Its Global Legacies” offered by NCTA/University of Pittsburgh, which examines how the O***m Wars reshaped international dynamics, especially between China and Western powers, including the emerging empire of the United States. Benefits include a copy of “Smoke and Ashes: O***m's Hidden Histories” by Amitav Gosh https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSejVNhq3t7_w0QpACcH-rN88X9-wlX1YuGXxwKvIwtjbSaSGQ/viewform?pli=1
The following resources are helpful for teaching this topic:
1. The First O***m War {MIT Visualizing Cultures] https://visualizingcultures.mit.edu/opium_wars_01/ow1_essay01.html
2. O***m Wars in China [Asia Pacific Foundation in Canada] https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/learning-module/opium-wars-china
3. O***m War and Foreign Encroachment [Asia for Educators at Columbia University] https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1750_opium.htm
4. O***m Smugglers: Boston's Merchants and the China Trade, 1790-1850 [Massachusetts Historical Society] https://www.masshist.org/learn/opium-and-us-trade-china
5. Hong Kong and the O***m Wars [National Archives] https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/hong-kong-and-the-opium-wars/
01/23/2025
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
1. Tuesday, January 28, 7pm (ET): FREE webinar for K-12 educators on “Art in the Classroom: Jataka” offered by Teaching East Asia, University of Colorado, Boulder. Jataka, tales of Buddha’s previous lives, are instructive about the time when they were created. A study of jataka wall paintings at the Mogao Caves outside of Dunhuang, China, will connect this important Buddhist site to the Silk Road https://www.colorado.edu/ptea/media/496
2. Thursday January 30, 9pm (ET): FREE virtual party from Read Your World Day https://readyourworld.org with a focus on diverse books, their authors and publishers https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAodeCurzMuH9bdfhgHatp097FjaywB6VVJ #/registration
3. Tuesday, February 4, 7-8pm (ET): FREE book talk for K-12 educators on the picture book “Masked Hero,” a 2023 Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention title. Authors Dr. Shan Woo Liu and Kaili Liu Gormley talk about Dr. Wu Lien-teh, defeater of the Manchurian plague who was their great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather respectively and his relevance today https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArf-ihrD4rGdI0_sKNOt7fDs1U9j7pJDFW #/registration
4. Thursdays, February 20 to March 27, 7-8pm (ET): FREE online seminar on “Objects and Ritual In Japanese History” presented by NCTA and U.S.-China Institute at USC. Professor Morgan Pitelka, University of North Carolina, will explore how Japanese communities expressed dreams, fears, power, and imagination through material culture and rituals objects https://china.usc.edu/seminars/rituals-and-objects-japanese-history-february-20-march-27-2025
5. Submission Deadline February 28: The Sejong Cultural Society of Chicago is holding their annual writing contest with CASH PRIZES! High school students and adults may create Korean poetry (sijo) https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/sijo.php or students under 18 respond to modern Korean fiction or folk tales https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/essay.php
01/21/2025
Asia for Educators recommended resource:
Grace Lin, author of “Chinese Menu: The History, Myths and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods,” a 2023 Freeman Book Award winner, has FREE templates for making Lunar New Year paper cuts in either complexhttps://gracelin.com/wp-content/uploads/snake_knot2.pdf
or simple designhttps://gracelin.com/wp-content/uploads/snake_knot_simpler.pdf and an accompanying video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmRDKCKzMw
Food is a great topic for teaching about China. Check out the teaching resources for Grace's book at https://www.nctasia.org/award/chinese-menu/
01/17/2025
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
1. Monday, January 20, 5pm (ET): FREE webinar on “Contemporary Japanese Metalwork in the Shirley Z Johnson Collection” with Sol Jung, Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. Hosted by Japanese Art Society of America https://asiaweekny.com/join-jasas-upcoming-zoom-webinar/
2. Wednesday, January 22, 4–5pm (ET) FREE webinar for educators on “Using Primary Sources for Teaching, Learning, and Understanding” from the Smithsonian demonstrating how to advance student skills in close reading, close listening, and assessing evidence using the Archives of American Art. Primary source literacy though is applicable to a wide range of subjects https://www.si.edu/events?trumbaEmbed=view%3devent%26eventid%3d179848015
3. January 23 to February 19: FREE online book study for secondary teachers on “Taiwan’s Turbulent Times: Reading of ‘The Boy from Clearwater’ offered by Program for Teaching East Asia, University of Colorado, Boulder. Four asynchronous sessions will provide an in-depth look at this powerful graphic novel. $75 completion award and $20 book reimbursement available https://www.colorado.edu/ptea/media/490
4. January 27 - March 9: FREE online seminar for secondary teachers on “Hong Kong: Resistance and Activism” in five asynchronous sessions offered by Program for Teaching East Asia, University of Colorado, Boulder. The seminar examines Hong Kong’s struggle for sovereignty using “Indelible City” by Louisa Lim. $100 completion award and $15 book reimbursement available https://www.colorado.edu/ptea/media/504
5. Choices Program at Brown University is giving away a 1-year Digital Editions license to a Choices curriculum unit to educators who share a syllabus they've created and used that includes Choices Program materials. Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfeINJhIa2q0zV1WM1FK6aJMffeZ1v4H80N4gWcJgrL7k6mnA/viewform
Recommended Resources for the Lunar New Year starting on Wednesday, January 29:
• Article on food and customs in China, Korea, and Vietnam [Asia Society] https://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/heres-how-families-three-asian-countries-welcome-lunar-new-year
• Activities for elementary students [British Council]https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/year_of_the_snake_education_pack.pdf
• Background info [Asia for Educators] https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_general_lunar.htm
• Lesson plan for grades K-5 [NEH] https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/lions-dragons-and-nian-animals-chinese-new-year
• Videos, music, blogs [National Museum of Asian Art] https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/celebrations/lunar-new-year-celebration/
Lunar New Year - National Museum of Asian Art
Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar.
01/15/2025
Asia for Educators announcement for folks in the Princeton University area.
Friday, January 17, 1:30-3:30pm (ET): There will be a special performance and master class on the “The Art and Aesthetics of the "Mei School" in Peking Opera” with Shi Yihong, member of the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company and ranked as a Peking Opera Actor First Class superstar. Peking (or Beijing) Opera became popular during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and is still the dominant form of opera in China today. It includes dance, acting, singing, and acrobatics. Shi Yihong is famous for her ‘dan’ roles, playing the elegant lady who dances delicately with a fan even if drunk. This performance is FREE and open to everyone at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. See https://eap.princeton.edu/events/art-and-aesthetics-peking-opera
01/14/2025
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
1. Wednesday, January 22 – March 11, (ET): FREE online course for secondary teachers on “Environmental Relations in Japan” offered by Program for Teaching East Asia at the University of Colorado, Boulder to examine the theme of people being shaped by and shaping their environment, and to explore how Japan can be both “green” and “toxic.” $100 completion award available https://www.colorado.edu/ptea/media/490
2. Friday, January 24, 7:00pm (ET): FREE webinar on "How Beijing Governs its Global Diaspora: Consent & Coercion" with Professor Diana Fu, University of Toronto, who will discuss what makes China’s playbook of control different from other authoritarian states. Offered by the Hoover Institution Program for US, China, and the World at Stanford University https://www.hoover.org/events/how-beijing-governs-its-global-diaspora-consent-coercion
3. Thursday, January 30, 1:00 pm (ET): FREE webinar for K-3 students on “Year of the Snake” from the National Museum of Asian Art (Smithsonian) which will look at the symbolism of the snake in various cultures. Everyone who registers also gets a link to a recording of the session. American Sign Language interpretation available https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/search/event:179158118/
4. Thursday, January 30th, 7pm (ET): FREE webinar for K-12 educators on “Teaching the Nuclear Age: Past and Present” offered by PBS. Join Social Studies Curriculum Specialists Mel Bissell and Kristin McManus who will discuss the growing number of nuclear weapons in Russia, China and the U.S., the ending of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty in 2026, and resources for teaching this important issue https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dGns_YioQjuaMOWMkFVAzw
5. Apply now: TEA-NCTA 2025 Summer Institute for social studies and humanities teachers of grades 6-12 on “East Asia Under Mongol Dominance: Subjects, Allies, & Adversaries” to be held July 19-25 in Boulder, Colorado. The Institute will examine the rule, implications and legacies of the Mongols in East Asia across disciplines. Cost is $125, but single dormitory lodging, meal allowance, educational materials provided; $500 transportation allowance also available. https://www.colorado.edu/ptea/media/505
6. Recommended resource: Free online Vietnamese language lessons from the Center for East Asia Studies at the University of Arizona. Four structured chapters cover essential language aspects with interactive lectures and exercises https://sites.google.com/arizona.edu/uaclpvietnamese/
01/08/2025
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
1. Friday, January 10, 1:00-1:30pm (ET): FREE webinar on artful movements for K-3 students and their teachers on “playing in the snow” offered by the National Museum of Asian Art (Smithsonian). ASL interpretation and link to session recording available too https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/search/event:179156093/
2. Sunday, January 12 to February 14: FREE Online classes for K-16 educators about “Shijo, the traditional poetry of Korea.” Reference books and teaching aids available for successful completion. Offered by the Sejong Cultural Society https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/sijo/online.php
3. Tuesdays, January 21 and 28, February 4 and 25, 7:30-9:30 pm (ET): Still some seats available for FREE online seminar for K-12 teachers on “Journey to China: Through Tese's Eyes” offered by NCTA / East Asia Resource Center at the University of Washington. Participants receive copies of “Private Revolutions: Four Women Face China’s New Social Order” by Yuan Yang, “Americans in China: Encounters with the People’s Republic” by Terry Lautz. Stipend of $100 available for successful completion. https://jsis.washington.edu/earc/journey-to-china-in-teses-footsteps-and-through-her-eyes-ncta-online-seminar/
4. Wednesday, January 22, 12:00–1:00pm (ET): FREE webinar on “Unpacking Provenance: A Chinese Porcelain Cup” hosted by the National Museum of Asian Art (Smithsonian). Four experts examine a Yongzheng-period (1723–1735) porcelain cup purchased from an individual whose father was in the Boxer War of 1900 https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/search/event:179430296/
5. Tuesday, January 28, 7-8pm (ET): FREE webinar on the “Japanese, Russians and Ainu: Contacts before the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05” with Dr. Viktor Shmagin, Williams College, who will look at interactions between Japanese, Russians and Ainu in Hokkaido prior to the 20th century. Offered by the Five College Center for East Asian Studies https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqf--srDkvHtx-fXQ0uU9SzGX8ioME-Ju- #/registration
Recommended resource: The new year is a time to reflect on what makes life meaningful and how to align endeavors with values. The Japanese concept of ikigai (“purpose in life”) can offer a fresh perspective on these questions as you begin 2025 says the Japan House in Los Angles https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/the-art-of-purpose-japans-philosophy-of-ikigai/
01/05/2025
Asia for Educators Featured Opportunity:
Tuesday, January 7, 8:00pm (ET): FREE online presentation for high school teachers and students interested in government from AP Comparative Government: TIPSS Speakers Series. Professor Junyan Jiang, Columbia University, will discuss China in “The Global Marketplace: Trade, Development and Challenges in an Interconnected World” and globalization including its impact on economic growth, inequality, environmental sustainability, and cultural exchange. Other speakers will cover other world regions. Register at https://www.compgovtipss.com/24-25/the-global-marketplace or contact Sean Jacobsen [email protected].
More resources on this topic are available from the Council on Foreign Relations including a video on “Global Development Explained” https://education.cfr.org/learn/video/global-development-explained and lesson plans https://education.cfr.org/teach/development
01/02/2025
Asia for Educators Featured Resource: January is National Hot Tea Month!
It's a time to enjoy a cozy cup of tea, whether you're starting a new day or year, or if you've made a resolution to drink more tea for health reasons. Some ways to celebrate this month are:
• Brew loose leaf tea: Instead of using tea bags.
• Experiment with different teas: There are 1000s of varieties.
• Take a break: Start your day with tea instead of coffee.
Tea is the second most popular drink in the world, after water. Some types include chai, mate, Earl Grey, and of course Japanese matcha. Below are resources for introducing your students to tea and especially that of Japan to your students:
1. “The Art of Tea” (curriculum from the Fowler Museum)https://fowler.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/zppd_zppd_Tea_Curriculum.pdf
2. “Encounter Chanoyu, Encounter Japan (videos and more from Urasenke tea ceremony) https://www.urasenke.or.jp/texte/
3. “The Way of Tea” (videos and more from Five College Center for East Asian Studies) https://www.fivecolleges.edu/community/center-east-asian-studies/japanese-tea-ceremony
4. “Experience Chanoyu: The Japanese Art of Tea” (curriculum from Asian Art Museum)https://education.asianart.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/09/Chanoyu-packet.pdf
5. “The Book of Tea” by Kakuzo Okakura (FREE download of the book that introduced tea ceremony to America) https://www.gutenberg.org/files/769/769-h/769-h.htm
12/18/2024
Asia for Educators Featured Opportunity:
Application Deadline Thursday, February 6: “Beyond 'Story Mountain': Global Approaches to Inspire New Writing,” a 4-Part virtual workshop for English, ENL, Social Studies & World Language Teachers on Wednesdays, March 19 and 26 and April 2 and 9, 5:00–6:15pm (ET). Offered by The Academy for Teachers https://www.academyforteachers.org with Nadia Kalman and Maggie Vlietstra from Words Without Borders https://wordswithoutborders.org/
Does every story need a central conflict? Of course not! In this workshop, you’ll be inspired by East Asian kishōtenketsu and other non-linear and circular stories from around the world and learn how to use these structures. Cost is only $30. See https://www.academyforteachers.org/program/beyond-story-mountain-global-approaches-to-inspire-new-writing
12/16/2024
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
Registration open January 5: Teachers of English are invited to register for FREE PD at the Electronic Village Online held January 13-February 16 by TESOL’s Computer-Assisted Language Learning Interest Section. Sessions range from “Creating AI Generated Activities” to “Tools for Student Collaboration.” https://bit.ly/EVO25
Application deadline February 17: Fulbright Teacher Exchanges seeks K-12 educators for its FREE Global Classroom Program, which includes 1) a semester-long online PD course; 2) an in-person PD workshop in Washington, D.C. and 3) immersion for 2-3 weeks in Indonesia, or Vietnam, or the Philippines (also non-Asian destinations). Sponsored by the US Department of Education https://www.fulbrightteacherexchanges.org/
Application deadline March 5: FREE residential institute for undergrad instructors on "Contemporary Asias: Pluralities Beyond Areas" June 8 to July 5 at the East-West Center in Hawaii by the Asian Studies Development Program with NEH. Explore changes in production, structuring, and sharing of knowledge about Asian cultures and societies, and how these foster more collaborative, and responsive knowledge communities. Stipend of $3,450 and studio-sized lodging at the East-West Center faculty guesthouse available https://www.eastwestcenter.org/training-exchanges/summer-institute-2025-contemporary-asias-pluralities-beyond-areas
Recommended podcast: "The sound of hoofbeats is growing" announces the start of a new podcast from the “Fall of Civilizations” by Paul Cooper, his latest episode is on the Mongols https://fallofcivilizationspodcast.com/ Pair this with the great teaching resources on the “Mongols in World History,” which includes info on Marco Polo from Asia for Educators at Columbia University https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/index.htm
12/12/2024
Asia for Educators Featured Resource:
The Youth Activism and Resilience Book Club for Educators offered by several U.S. Dept. of Education National Resource Centers will discuss five award-winning books this spring from 7pm-9pm (ET) on the following dates:
• January 7 - "Women Caught in the Crossfire: One Woman’s Quest for Peace in South Sudan" by Abuk Jervas
• February 4 - "On Our Way Home from the Revolution" by Sonya Bilocerkowycz
• March 4 - "Belonging" by Nora Krug
• April 1 - "The Weight of Our Sky" by Hanna Alkaf, which was a winner of the 2019 Freeman Book Awards https://www.nctasia.org/award/the-weight-of-our-sky/
• April 29 - "From Here" by Luma Mufleh
Registration fee is $25 to receive a personal copy of ALL five books mailed directly to you. Please read each before their respective session. Details and registration at https://learning.umn.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=52649877&courseTitle=youth-activism-and-resilience-book-club-for-educators
FREE registration also available. Join the book club now, and purchase books on your own as no books will be sent. See https://forms.gle/9KgE3GLe6zzUyveq9
12/10/2024
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
Though 2025 seems far away with Christmas yet to come, now is the time to think about registering for the FREE PD workshops and seminars for educators offered online by NCTA/Teaching East Asia, many with FREE books and cash awards! Check them out at www.colorado.edu/ptea
Seminars and Webinars:
• Course, Environmental Relations in Japan: January 22 – March 11, 2025
• Book Study, Taiwan’s Turbulent Time: Reading "The Boy from Clearwater:" January 23 – February 19
• Book Study, Geography through East Asian Picture Books: January 23 – March 5
• Short Course, South Korea’s Fight for Democracy: January 27 – February 23
• Course, Hong Kong: Resistance and Activism: Jan. 27 – March 9
• Webinar, The Vietnam War: Origins, History, and Legacies: February 13, 7:00-8:30pm (ET)
• Webinar, "Mommy's Hometown" with author Hope Lim: Thursday, February 27, 7pm (ET)
• Webinar, Learning Behind Barbed Wire: A Look at Schools in a Japanese American Incarceration Camp During World War II: April 22, 7-8pm (ET)
Japan 1945 Workshops:
• The Battle of Okinawa, February 5 - 12
• The Tokyo Firebombings, March 18 - 25
• The Atomic Bombings, April 29 - May 6
Art in the Classroom Series: 7-8pm (ET)
• Webinar, Jataka: January 28
• Webinar, Sheep and Goat: February 11
• Webinar, Uemura Shōen (1875-1949): March 6
• Webinar, Hiroshige's Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge: April 3
• Webinar, Rubbing/Loving: May 1
12/09/2024
TONIGHT! Meiji Japan meets the West: 1868-1912 - AFE Online Discussion for Teachers
8-9 p.m. on Zoom
https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/programs/24fall/meiji.html
12/06/2024
Asia for Educators Featured Resources: December 14 is National Ceramics Day!
Each year, ceramic enthusiasts around the U.S. celebrate this craft, one that has long been deeply revered in Japan. It’s a perfect opportunity to learn about diverse aspects of Japanese pottery past and present, from an introduction to the art form https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/ceramics-beauty-that-comes-from-clay-fire-and-artisanal-skills/ to specific eras like the Edo period https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jpor/hd_jpor.htm to regional traditions like Mino ware to https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/craftsmanship-of-the-ceramic-valley/ to artist families like the Kondō https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/stories/kondo-family-ceramicists-technique
Japanese ceramics are lauded for many aesthetic principles. A lesson plan from the Brooklyn Museum of Art explores imperfection in themhttps://teach.brooklynmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BM_Arts-of-East-Asia_Ceramic-Traditions_Embracing-Imperfections.pdf
12/03/2024
Asia for Educators Weekly Digest of Opportunities
1. Wednesday, December 4, 8-9:30pm (ET): FREE online webinar for high school teachers and students interested in government from AP Comparative Government: China TIPSS Speakers Series on “Real-Time Politics: Government in Action During Today's Current Events” with Professor Tom Christensen, Columbia University https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUkceyurjopE93yLqb4mrqV6O4qGwkVa2RJ #/registration or email [email protected] with questions.
2. Monday, December 9, 8-9pm (ET): FREE webinar for educators on "Meiji Japan meets the West: 1868-1912" facilitated by Dr. Carol Gluck as part of "Asian Topics Discussion Series" offered by Asia for Educators at Columbia University. Please view videos ahead of the session to prepare for Q&A and discussion of teaching approaches https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/programs/24fall/meiji.html and check out more FREE Asia for Educators Resources online www.afe.easia.columbia.edu including learning modules, background information on art, history, geography, etc.
3. Wednesday, December 11, 12:30 - 1:30pm (ET): FREE online conversation on “What Role Does Soft Power Play in these Hard Geopolitical Times” with Joseph Nye, author of “Soft Power.” In today’s era of escalating geopolitical tensions, the ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion is critical. Offered by the China Institute of America https://chinainstitute.org/events/conversation-with-joseph-nye-author-of-soft-power-what-role-does-soft-power-play-in-these-hard-geopolitical-times/
4. Application deadline February 25, 2025: FREE study tour to Japan for middle and high school social studies teachers on June 23rd to July 1 to learn about contemporary Japanese social, economic, political, and international issues. Offered by the Keizai Koho Center (KKC), in cooperation with the National Association of Japan-America Societies https://us-japan.org/kkc
5. Apply now: FREE book group on “We Are Not Free” with author Traci Chee offered by NCTA/ East Asian Resource center at the University of Washington. Sessions will focus on how 14 teenagers coped with the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans. To be held February 6, 13, and 20, 7:00-9:00pm (ET). All participants receive a copy of Chee’s book; stipend available for successful completion. Details at https://jsis.washington.edu/earc/we-are-not-free-and-the-japanese-american-wartime-incarceration-book-group/